Things you need to know before getting implants
While many options exist for replacing missing natural teeth and improving your oral health, smile, and confidence, dental implants have become a popular solution. Dental implants are a permanent solution and offer many benefits to dental patients. In this article, we will explain what you need to know before getting implants so you can make an informed decision.
If you are considering dental implants, here are 23 things you should know before getting them:
- High Success Rate
Dental implants have become popular in recent years, with many choosing them over other dental replacements such as dentures or bridges. One reason for their increasing popularity is that dentists themselves often recommend them due to their high success rate.
Studies have shown that the success rate of dental implants can be over 98 percent. This depends on your health and whether you are eligible for the procedure. However, it can mean that if you are missing a tooth, dental implants can be the best option.
- Look like natural teeth.
Dental implants are designed to look and function like natural teeth. The titanium base takes the place of the natural tooth root and provides support and strength. However, once the implant is removed and the surgical site has healed, the metal is no longer visible.
A dental crown, bridge, or denture is the part of the mouth that is visible, known as the prosthetic part of a dental implant. It is made based on a model of your mouth and is designed to perfectly match the rest of your teeth.
Those who have lost teeth know how much it can affect how you feel about yourself and your appearance. Getting a fully-fabricated implant that restores your natural smile can help improve your outlook as well as improve your oral and dental health.
- Convenience
One of the factors that puts dental implants above other options, such as dentures, is convenience. Dental implants are attached directly to the jawbone, exactly in the space where a tooth used to be. This means that the implant is in a position where the denture may move or slip.
The strength of dental implants also means that you can chew properly without worrying about the strength of the denture. This can add comfort and convenience to mealtimes. You may even be able to eat foods that you previously had to avoid, either because of gaps in your teeth or concerns about your dentures.
- A discreet procedure
Dental implants are small compared to many tooth replacement options. If you have a single-tooth implant, they don’t cover any other part of your tooth or the roof of your mouth. After a while, you may even forget they’re there.
- No loosening or slipping
Dental implants do not need to be removed once they are attached. This means they require much less maintenance than dentures. They are also much less likely to come loose, as they are designed to be permanent.
If you wear dentures, you will already be familiar with the concerns of the risk of slipping, as well as how loosening the denture can affect the way you speak and chew. These factors are not something to worry about when it comes to dental implants.
- Improved aesthetics
Dental implants can help improve the appearance of your mouth. A missing tooth can have a big impact on your smile. The natural look of dental implants can be the best solution to this problem.
Dental implants can be the first step in a long-term plan to improve the overall aesthetics of your teeth. After implants, you can consider teeth whitening. Some may also consider crowns for a brighter, healthier smile.
- Helps prevent aging
In addition to the gap in your smile, your appearance can be affected in other ways by missing teeth. The shape of your face and jawline can begin to change and sag if you lose a tooth, causing your face to age prematurely. One or more implants to correct this problem can restore your face to its natural shape.
- No decay
Unlike the rest of your teeth, the material your dental implants are made of cannot decay. The metal base is titanium, and the prosthesis is made of a synthetic material. This may be porcelain or composite resin.
While you should still brush and floss your teeth, you don’t have to worry about cavities with teeth replaced with implants.
- Easy to CleanDental replacement options like dentures can be challenging to maintain and clean, requiring you to adapt new oral hygiene practices in addition to old methods.
Dental implants do not have such requirements.
Since an implant has the shape, size, and placement of a normal tooth, once it has healed and integrated into the mouth, it only requires regular care. Brushing, flossing, and other care generally recommended by your dentist should be sufficient to maintain healthy teeth and a clean implant.
- Supports Other Teeth
If you’re missing a tooth, the teeth on either side of the gap can start to move into the space, causing displacement. This can lead to deformity and even pain in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). If this continues, you’ll need TMJ treatment, which could include tooth replacement.
By replacing your missing tooth with a dental implant as soon as possible, you can prevent the abnormal movement of your other teeth. This can prevent long-term pain and other problems that shifting teeth can cause.
- Prevents Disease
A tooth that’s been missing for a long time can pose another risk to your oral health. Food particles and bacteria can easily get stuck in the gaps between your teeth.
Even if you brush and floss your teeth regularly, your risk of gum disease can increase with a long-term gap. Replacing it with an implant can reduce your risk of disease.
- Long-lasting
Dental implants have the potential to last your entire life. This is important for those who may be concerned about the initial cost of the procedure.
The cost of dental implants can indeed be high initially, especially if you are replacing more than one tooth. However, the reduced cost with each year of use can be beneficial.
- Affordable maintenance
In addition to long-term wear, those considering dental implants should remember that once the implant heals, it should behave like a normal tooth. Unlike dentures, you do not need to buy special materials for cleaning or bonding. This means that although the initial cost is higher, maintenance can be very affordable.
People who are in good physical and oral health are more likely to keep their implants permanently. If needed, your dentist can provide advice on how to improve your oral health.
- No Need for Modification
A bridgework is an option that some may consider to replace a missing tooth or teeth. It involves attaching a denture to the teeth on either side of it using abutments.
This places additional pressure on the teeth, which must be modified for the bridge to fit. Dental implants do not require this type of modification or additional support.
- Can Replace Multiple TeethIf you have lost several or all of your teeth, it can seem overwhelming to think about the work required to replace them all. However, with implants, you can replace multiple teeth at once.
Four or six dental implants can be placed in one surgery, which is used to support an arch of multiple dentures. Since the dentist does not need to worry about the location of your real teeth, the procedure can be completed in one day.
- Attachable to dentures
Although dental implants may often be preferred over dentures, they can also improve your experience if you need to wear dentures. One of the main issues experienced with dentures is how they can move around in the mouth, causing discomfort and discomfort in various ways.
The stability of dental implants can give dentures more security. Special implants can be placed in your jaw that are designed to attach to your dentures. This means that the dentures are less likely to move and slip, giving you more comfort and security.
- Stop Bone Loss
One of the serious complications of missing teeth or gums is the potential loss of bone mass in the jaw. The jawbone is designed to attach to your teeth, and the pressure exerted by chewing on the teeth stimulates the jawbone and keeps it healthy.
Without this attachment and stimulation, the jawbone can begin to deteriorate. If you have dentures that rub against your jawbone, this can happen even faster than usual.
Bone loss can contribute to the impact that missing teeth have on your appearance, especially the shape of your face. By choosing dental implants over other options, you can help maintain the integrity of your jawbone as well as your appearance.
- You May Be Eligible
Many people are good candidates for dental implants. Factors such as age should not affect whether you are a good candidate for surgery.
However, it is important to remember that your dentist will need to evaluate you before approving this procedure. There are several factors to consider to ensure that the implant is successful, such as the strength of the jawbone at the implant site.
- You can get more help
.In the past, if you didn’t have enough bone at the implant site, or if your bone wasn’t strong enough, you might not be able to get dental implants. While this may still affect your eligibility, there are new ways you can get more help so you can get implants.
Bone grafts can be placed in the jaw to give it more support if needed. The implants themselves have also improved and may now not require the support of the jawbone as much as they used to.
- Potential Risks
As with any dental surgery or procedure, implants can carry risks. This is one reason why it is so important to find a dentist who will thoroughly examine you before approving you for the procedure. Your dentist in Hamilton should also be able to recommend a suitable surgeon or periodontist.
The potential risks of implants include those associated with most oral surgery. These include the risks of damage to the surrounding area, fracture or misplacement of the implant, or infection.
However, the risk is very small. Making sure that the procedure is performed by a qualified professional with a high level of expertise can reduce it even further.
- Easy Surgery
Getting a dental implant means having surgery. When your dentist suggests dental implants as an option for you, your dentist should talk to you in detail about what will be involved.
In typical dental implant surgery, only a local anesthetic is needed to numb the immediate area. Any pain or discomfort will only be felt afterward and is generally considered the same as having a tooth extracted.
The initial surgery is simply placing a titanium post in your jaw. While the gums around the surgery heal, the post will fuse with the jawbone.
- Caring for Your Implants After dental implant surgery, you will need to attend follow-up appointments with your dentist to make sure the surgery was successful. Healing can take several months to fully complete.
If you had more complex surgery, you may need to take painkillers afterward. However, most dental implants only require initial pain management immediately after surgery.
You will need to take care of your oral hygiene in the weeks following surgery to ensure that there is no chance of infection. These maintenance tasks are simple and easy to do, and your dentist can provide help and advice if needed.
- Improving Technology
Dental implant technology has come a long way. In the past, tooth replacement options focused on the use of dentures and bridges. Dental implants seem to be on their way to replacing these options.
The ongoing advancements in dental implant technology mean that they are becoming more accessible. They are now more widely available than ever before, and experts continue to work on the technology to allow more people to use them.
