What Are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is comprised of a titanium metal device, surgically placed in your mouth as an artificial root of the missing tooth. The implant merges with the jawbone to offer a stable base for permanent replacement teeth that are created to match your original teeth. Dental implants are the most sought-after procedures in cosmetic dentistry because they provide you with a natural, everlasting smile, while supporting proper mouth function.

Types of Dental Implants

The American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) reports two types of implants: An endosteal implant is the most popular type of dental implant, which is placed into the bone. A subperiosteal implant is set on the bone of patients who don’t have sufficient bone levels or can’t have traditional dentures.

What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?

There are numerous benefits to modern-day implants over traditional tooth replacement options.

Here is a list of some significant benefits associated with dental implants:

1. Improved Appearance

Dental implants resemble and feel like your natural teeth because they become permanent after fusing with your jaw bone.

2. Improved Speech

Dental implants allow you to speak freely without the fear that your teeth might fall off.

3. Improved Oral Hygiene

Dental implants allow for better access between teeth for cleaning requirements, thus improving your oral hygiene.

4. Improved Chewing Capability

Dental implants work exactly like your natural teeth, letting you chew on your favorite foods confidently and without pain.

5. Improved Self-Esteem

As your smile and appearance are enhanced with dental implants, your self-esteem also gets boosted.

6. Improved Oral Health

Dental implants don’t necessitate trimming down other teeth to support the implant. Thus, a lot of your teeth remain intact, improving lifelong oral health.

7. Improved Durability

Implants are highly durable and will withstand for many years. With proper care, several implants last a lifetime.

8. Improved Convenience

Dental implants take out the discomfort and embarrassment of removable dentures, and the requirement for messy adhesives to keep them in place.

Check out this video that covers benefits and concerns of dental implants:

Who Can Get Dental Implants?

Usually, anyone who is healthy enough to receive an ordinary dental extraction or mouth surgery can be considered an ideal candidate to undergo a dental implant. Patients need healthy gums and adequate bone structure to support the implant. They also must be diligent towards keeping good oral hygiene and attend routine dental checkups. People who are addicted to smoking, suffering from irrepressible chronic disorders like diabetes or heart ailments, or have undergone radiation therapy in the head or neck region, must be examined on an individual basis.

What Does the Dental Implant Procedure Involve?

Getting implants is a multi-step process that can span over 3 to 6 months. If you are found fit during the screening for an implant, an expert in the field of dental implant and denture prosthetics will surgically insert the implant in your jaw bone. It may also include the removal of the damaged tooth that needs replacement.

The following steps are included in the dental implant process:

1. Initially, an incision gets created in the gum. Then the implant is set into the jawbone with the help of a titanium screw, which enables the implant to substitute the root of the natural tooth.

2. The second step involves stitching the gums. The implant needs to be allowed to heal for a period of three to six months because the jawbone formation around the implant occurs during this time. Temporary crowns can be fitted to enable eating, drinking, and smiling.

3. Following the complete healing of the implant, an abutment must be set on the implant to anchor the artificial teeth or dentures. The abutment is considered as an extension of the metal post of the implant and serves as the foundation for the new tooth. Finally, an abutment impression is utilized to design the tooth restoration.

4. When the restoration process is over, a follow-up a visit to the dentist will be required to complete the process of dental implants and denture prosthetics.

How Long Will a Dental Implant Take?

The average implant treatment duration is three to six months. Once your implant is set in place, your body forms bone in the region close to the implant to permanently bind it in place. The biological process of bone formation requires a minimum of 4 months. Sometimes there are conditions in which you can have dental implants placed in a single office visit. If you have been suffering from missing teeth for some time and have a lower denture problem, a specialized tooth implant can be set in your lower jaw to stabilize the lower denture. This specific implant method can be done quickly with negligible surgery, and in many situations, the implants are fit to be used when you leave the dentist office. Such specialized implants are called mini implants and can be completed for use in a single visit.

Are Dental Implants Painful?

During the Surgery:

If your bone tissues are healthy, you shouldn’t experience any pain during the surgery. Also, very few pain-sensing nerves are present in the area of the bone where the implant is placed. People who have experienced dental implants state that there is only a minute of discomfort involved in the procedure. Local anesthesia can be helpful during the process. Also, many patients have expressed that implants involve less pain as compared to tooth extraction.

After the Surgery:

Since dental implants are a major dental procedure, you will probably feel some discomfort after the surgery for a couple of days. However, any discomfort should be manageable. Following the dental implant, mild tenderness is manageable with over-the-counter pain medications or warm salt-water rinses. An ice pack helps reduce swelling by placing it on the skin around the surgery location immediately after treatment.

Is Follow-Up Care Required After a Dental Implant Procedure?

Dental implants carry the risk of forming a condition known as “peri-implantitis,” which is similar to a periodontal (gum) disease, occurring in natural teeth. Peri-implantitis can lead to the loss of an implant in the absence of the right treatment. After undergoing a dental implant, regular care at home and follow-ups with the dentist are necessary to avoid this condition. Proper oral care for a dental implant at home includes routine brushing and flossing to remove food debris and plaque. The dentist will examine the soft and hard tissues surrounding the implants and use special tools to eliminate harder calcified deposits close to the dental implant. If required, the bite is adjusted to make sure that the implant isn’t prone to massive biting forces.

What Kind of Risks, Complications, and Problems Can You Expect with Dental Implants?

Every surgery involves some risks and possible complications. Careful planning is required to ensure that a patient is fit enough to receive oral surgery and heal correctly. Similar to all oral surgery techniques; bleeding disorders, contamination, allergies, present medical state, and medications, require careful review before continuing with the treatment. Luckily, the rate of success is quite high, and failure occurs typically in the remote case of infection, dental implant fracture, overburdening of the dental implant, casualty to the surrounding region(nerves, blood vessels, teeth), improper positioning of the dental implant, or inappropriate bone quantity or quality. Again, sound planning with a competent surgeon can help confront these problems. In many instances, a failed dental implant can be improved by reattempting replacement at a proper time after healing has occurred.

How Affordable Are Dental Implant Procedures?

You may be surprised to know how cost-effective dental implants are when compared to various other options, as they are a lifelong investment that offers a permanent tooth replacement solution.

A dental implant is just a titanium device fixed in the jaw bone to support, or join, a bionic tooth or teeth. The cost of dental implant treatments varies as they are customized to suit your specific need and depend on several individual factors including:

1. The quality, quantity, and position of the bone.
2. The count of teeth that need replacement and the kind of artificial teeth to be utilized.
3. The variety of implant(s) that will be suitable.
4. The number of implants required to support these teeth.

Acknowledging the long-term advantages of dental implants over different tooth replacement options, a growing list of insurance companies have begun to provide some coverage. Implant dentists are also offering financing and payment options to make sure dental implants are more affordable than ever before, so make sure you discuss what plans your dentist has to offer.

What Are the Rates of Success for Dental Implants?

Over time, medical science has technologically progressed and improved the results of dental implants. The rates of success for dental implants vary according to the location of the jaw where the implants are needed. However, today, dental implants have up to a 98% success rate, and with appropriate care, implants can endure a lifetime.

Why Choose Experienced Dentists for Dental Implant Treatments

Since dental implants are considered a major dental surgery, it’s necessary to choose a surgeon experienced in dental implant and denture prosthetics, whom can provide gentle treatment. The expert dentists at Plaza Dental Group in West Des Moines are committed to improving patients’ lives and making them appear years younger through the All-on-4 Denture Implants technique. We have a highly satisfied customer base who admits to having very negligible pain and discomfort with their dental implants.

Watch this video to learn more about the All-on-4 Denture Implants technique: