Overview of Dental Implants
Implants are surgically placed in your jaw bone while
under anesthesia. It is a very time consuming procedure when having many implants placed.
As this procedure is surgical, it is very important to research and find a well credited
cosmetic dentist that you are comfortable with. For some people there are varying degrees
discomfort or pain, which subsides in a couple of days. As with similar types of surgery,
bruising and minor swelling might also develop shortly after the procedure.
How are Dental Implants Attached in
Your Mouth?
The implant procedure is a surgical placement of the
implant or implants in your jaw bone which requires a three to six month healing period
before the implant restoration to replace the missing tooth or teeth. During this healing
time, the bone grows in and around the titanium implant creating a very strong support.
Dental implants can be rejected. Usually they are replaced with another implant of a
slightly larger size. The rejection or "failure" rate is minimal, only 1 to 2%
of all implant procedures. You must go without wearing your dentures for one day to two
weeks after an implant placement. After the implant has "taken" and you have
sufficiently healed, a very natural crown is placed on the implant.
When missing one tooth, your cosmetic
dentist may use a Flipper to fill the space. A Flipper is a false tooth
to temporarily take the place of a missing tooth before the permanent
crown is placed on the implant. A Flipper can be attached via either a
wire or a plastic piece that fits in the roof of your mouth. Flippers
are meant to be a temporary solution while awaiting the permanent crown
to be placed on your implant(s).
If you're missing one tooth or all of your teeth,
implants may well be for you. So long as you have enough bone in the area of the missing
tooth to facilitate the anchorage of the implants, this procedure can yield terrific
results. If you don't have enough bone for this purpose, a bone graft may be necessary. A
procedure of building up the bone is known as Bone Grafting. Bone grafting is common with
dental implants. The bone that is used is one of three types. The preferred bone to use is
taken from other areas of your mouth or collected in a suction device as the drilling of
the sites for dental implants occurs. Sometimes bone is taken from areas such as a hip
(this requires an orthopedic surgeon and an operating room). The third source for needed
bone is a synthetic type. This is the least preferred type of bone to be used for this
procedure.
Next: Different
types of implants
- Introduction to dental implants
section
- Dental implants - an overview
- Who is a candidate for dental implants?
- Dental implants - Procedure description
- Types of tooth implants
- How much do dental implants cost?
- Things to consider - Advantages and disadvantages of dental
implants
- Dental implants - Before and after photos
- Personal stories from people who have had dental
implants
- Choosing the color of the dental implant crown
- Discuss dental implants on our message board
  
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