Dental Implants for Single Tooth or Multiple Teeth Replacement
Dental implants or permanently placed “false teeth” are a means of helping you complete your smile so you don’t have to hide your toothy grin or struggle to chew or bite due to missing teeth. Dental implants use titanium to secure the replacement tooth in place and this helps strengthen the jawbone after the loss of tooth and its root. With the added help of the titanium, the jaw is less likely to suffer additional bone loss. Dentists and oral surgeons place the titanium post surgically below the gum line. After the surgery, the gums heal around the titanium post and the dentist will then attach the replacement tooth to the titanium post. The dental implant, like a replacement hip or knee, is composed of titanium as this is the only metal capable of grafting to human bone.
The last few decades have allowed for some serious improvements in restorative and family dentistry and most definitely in dental implants. Despite these advances, not all people with missing teeth are strong candidates for dental implants. Some people do not have strong enough immune systems to tolerate a foreign material implanted into their jaw or have medical conditions that prevent implants and other people do not need to have a tooth completely removed and replaced with an implant. Broken teeth or decayed teeth can be drilled and repaired with dental bonding before a tooth extraction is necessary.
CALL (910) 256-9230
1426 Commonwealth Dr. Suite A, Wilmington, NC 28403
Dental Implants Process
If you are interested in talking to your dentist about dental implants to see if they would be a good fit in your treatment plan, your first appointment will start with a consultation and be followed by an examination of the affected tooth or teeth. The dentist will extract the tooth that will be replaced by the dental implant. From there, the dentist will need to examine your jaw bone to ensure that it will be strong enough to accept an implant and that it is free from inflammation and infection. The dentist will most likely rely on an X-ray or some other type of imaging of your jaw bone to ensure that the dental implant treatment plan is still the best option for you and your oral health.
After you are healed from the tooth extraction properly, the surgeon will then place the titanium rod into your jawbone. The jaw will need to heal, the bone will need to heal and accept the implant and the gum tissue will need to heal around the post. Again, you will need to follow at home care instructions to ensure that your mouth is free from infection or inflammation so it can heal in a timely fashion.
Once the post is integrated properly to your jaw bone and the gum has healed, the dentist will place an abutment. This attachment is responsible for the holding the replacement tooth, or crown. The crown is set in place permanently with dental cement or a special screw. When the dentist sets the crown on the abutment, this is really the finishing touch to all the work you two have put in over the last few months. You could even call this grand finale, the “crowning moment”.
Dental Implant Benefits
The greatest benefit to receiving a dental implant, of the many benefits, is the added strength and structural support it offers your jaw bone.
Dental implants allow for upgrading your removable dentures to dentures with a place for secure attachment without additional adhesive. A dental implant can keep your dentures in place to allow for better speech and easier chewing without the fear of your teeth slipping and sliding around your mouth.
Aesthetically, dental implants offer you the opportunity to increase your self-confidence and improve your overall appearance with a complete, full smile of healthy teeth. Allowing the space where you had a tooth extracted to remain empty can change the shape of your jaw and face due to the missing tooth and its root depending on which tooth is no longer there. The effort to replace even one tooth can have marvelous repercussions on your day to day life.
Patients who have had dental implants report that at home dental care is easier than trying to brush and floss with missing teeth gaps.
A more advanced procedure, all on four dental implants, is a perfect solution for slipping or tired dentures. To see if you're a candidate, schedule a consultation today.
Caring For Your Dental Implants
Following the various phases of this procedure, it will take weeks or months for the healing process to complete. During the days and weeks following the more invasive appointments, eating softer foods will keep you comfortable. Once the healing process takes hold, you can gradually include harder and more abrasive foods. Once your dentist has completed work on your implant and you are fully healed with your new tooth in place, you need to treat your dental implants like your natural teeth.
Dental Implant Costs
Costs for each procedure vary depending on how long the procedure takes, what materials the procedure requires, how many visits the procedure requires, and the amount of work the dentist is required to do. It may surprise you to know, but dental insurance may cover some of the costs for these as well as elective procedures as they lead to improved overall dental health and long term benefits. If you do not have dental insurance coverage or you have any questions about payment options for your treatment plan, you are more than welcome to talk to our staff at any time. Your budget’s health is just as important as your mouth’s health.
High Quality Care You Can Trust
At Edgerton & Glenn Cosmetic and General Dentistry. We strive to build relationships with our patients. You are more than just teeth, you are our patient and friend and we want to help you to achieve and maintain oral health as best we can. We look forward to meeting you and talking about what is best for you and your mouth. Please contact us to set up a dental implant appointment at (910) 256-9230.
More Information About :
- All on Four Dental Implants
- CEREC Crowns
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- Deep Teeth Cleaning
- Dental Bonding
- Dental Bridges
- Dental Crowns
- Dental Exams
- Dental Implants
- Dentists Wilmington
- Dentures
- Family Dentistry
- Full Mouth Reconstruction
- Gum Disease
- Gummy Smile
- Implant Supported Dentures
- Inlay & Onlays
- Invisalign
- Laser Dentistry
- Mouth Guards
- Porcelain Veneers
- Root Canals
- Sleep Apnea
- Teeth Whitening
- TMJ Therapy
- Tooth Extractions
- Tooth Fillings