Now Offering Dental Implants in Garner

Dental Implants

DENTAL IMPLANTS

Picture this: You’re going about your business, thrilled to start a new day. All of a sudden, your teeth begin to crumble in your hands like wet sand. You’re visibly mortified but luckily for you, it was all just a ruthless nightmare. Have you ever been fiercely roused awake with a dream like this? Terrifying, isn’t it? Now, what would you do if this were real? Losing teeth to oral disease or advancing age is a perpetual fear that torments millions of people around the world.

According to studies, almost 40 million Americans are currently missing all of their teeth! To counter this very tangible issue, many are incessantly seeking after restorative dental procedures like crowns, bridges, or even dentures. While they are affordable options to replace missing teeth, they are not of a top-tier status.

 Dentures are inconvenient to use and can pose a number of obstacles with eating and cleaning. Also, embarrassing slip-ups are more common with dentures than any other dental appliance. On the other end of the spectrum, dental crowns and bridges are relatively up to par but may only last for a few years.

Fortunately, with rapid advancements in technology, for the past four odd decades, only one dental prosthesis has been declared to be the permanent solution to tooth loss - dental implants!

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium posts that are surgically implanted into the jawbone beneath your gums. Think of them as artificial tooth roots, similar in shape to screws. When dental implants are placed into your jawbone, they fuse with it to create a sturdy base. Once this process is complete, the dentist proceeds to mount replacement teeth called crowns onto them.

Contrary to popular belief, the dental implant isn’t one complete prosthesis but is actually made up of three different components, which when combined creates an ideal implant.

• Implant: The implant itself, also known as a fixture, is a small, screw-shaped structure positioned underneath the gums to receive the false tooth.
• Abutment: It is a short, stumpy screw that is placed on top of the implant and extends beyond the gum line. It acts as a connector between the implant and the artificial tooth.
• Prosthesis: It is a part of the dental implant that looks and functions exactly like a real tooth, custom-made to match your natural teeth and cohesively fit in your mouth.

Types of dental implants

Typically, dental implants are of two different types:

• Endosteal (in the bone): This is the most common type of dental implant generally used as an alternative for patients with bridges or removable dentures. It can come in a variety of shapes such as screws, cylinders, or blades, and are placed into the bone.

• Subperiosteal (on the bone): These implants are placed on top of the jaw with the metal framework’s posts protruding through the gum to hold the prosthesis. These are brilliant choices for patients who are unable to wear conventional dentures due to minimal bone height.

How do dental implants work?

Dental implants are placed into your jawbone after your dental surgeon drills a small hole where your missing tooth’s roots once were. Normally, your natural teeth attach to the surrounding bone and gums via the periodontal ligament, which is a soft collection of fibers. Conversely, dental implants directly fuse to the bone.

Once the dental implant is placed into your jaw, it is followed by a period of healing and osseointegration. Osseointegration is the scientific term for bone ingrowth into the dental implant and can take three to six months to heal. Only after the completion of this healing period will you receive your dental crown, bridge, or hybrid denture prosthesis.

Are you a candidate for dental implants?

The ideal candidate for a dental implant is one in good general and oral health. This includes:

• Adequate bone support: Since the implant fuses with the bone, adequate bone material is required to support the implant. Bone grafting may be done in case of inadequate bone.
• Healthy gums: Patients must have positive gum health without underlying periodontal issues that can potentially compromise the success of the implant.
• Good oral health: Smokers, frequent drinkers, or diabetics with uncontrolled blood sugar have lower than average success rates and are thus not ideal candidates.

How can dental implants benefit you?

The American Academy of Implant Dentistry reaffirms that dental implants are the closest you can get to healthy, natural teeth. Dental implants present many incredible benefits that will make you ditch the old-fashioned dentures and crowns!

• Enhanced aesthetics: Dental implants look exactly like your natural teeth as they can be color, size, shape, and even texture-matched to your existing ones.

• Improved speech: Unlike dentures that cause you to slur your words wearing them, dental implants allow natural speech.
• Better comfort: The comfort of wear is remarkable with dental implants. You won’t even know that they are there!

• Prevents bone loss: By replacing your missing teeth with dental implants, you’re replacing that jaw bone stimulation that would otherwise be done by the tooth roots, thus helping to prevent bone loss.

• Easier eating: Eating with dentures is a challenge - you need to watch what you eat in order to prevent them from getting stuck or accidentally breaking your dentures. With dental implants, you’re free to eat what you like!

• Restores bite force: Because dental implants are anchored into your jaw, they allow you to bite with more or less the same amount of force you could use with your natural teeth. 

• Prevents changes in face shape: When you lose your teeth, your face changes shape due to lack of support. Dental implants help restore that lost facial shape and structure.

• High durability: Dental implants last anywhere from 10 to 15 years to forever!

• Improved oral health: Cleaning is easier with dental implants; just brush and floss them like you would your natural teeth. This helps aid in better oral health and hygiene.

• Outstanding success rate: Dental implants have a success rate of about 98%!

• Elevated self-confidence: With your brand-new dental implants, you can show off your pearly whites with confidence!

Tired of letting people with stunning teeth steal your thunder? Get your fabulous smile with dental implants today! 

References:

1. American College of Prosthodontists, “Missing teeth” -

https://www.prosthodontics.org/assets/1/7/ACP_Talking_points_for_Missing_Teeth_1-12-15.pdf

1. American Dental Association, “Implants” -

            https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/i/implant 

1. American Academy of Implant Dentistry, “What are dental implants?” -

https://www.aaid-implant.org/dental-implants/what-are-dental-implants/