If you have lost several of your teeth, you may be considering dental implants to replace them. Many people prefer dental implants because they are difficult to discern from natural teeth. In fact, implants are the most natural-looking options for replacing lost teeth.
Each dental implant is surgically positioned inside the jawbone to replace the lost dental root of a missing tooth. After a healing period in which the dental implants fuse with your jawbone, connectors and dental crowns can be added to fully restore the lost teeth.
Here are some things that you can expect when having a dental implant installed:
You can expect to take antibiotics as a preventive measure.
One of the ways that a dental implant is likely to fail is due to an infection. An infection can impede the healing process that is necessary to stabilize a dental implant within the bone. To prevent an infection, the dentist is likely to prescribe antibiotics after your dental implant has been placed. The antibiotics help kill the oral bacteria in the mouth to lessen the chance of the microbes invading the implant wound and causing an infection.
It is especially important for you to take the antibiotics as prescribed if you are diabetic or if you smoke. People with diabetes and smokers regularly experience difficulty with wound healing. In addition, they may be more prone to oral infections.
You can expect for the full restorative procedure to take several months.
It is unlikely that your dental implant restoration will be completed within a couple of days or even within a couple of weeks. After the implant has been placed, the healing period before the placement of the connector or abutment is usually a few months. During those months, the bone of the jaw fuses with your new implant.
After this fusion, which is called osseointegration, the abutment can be added to the implant. The abutment installation will require additional weeks of healing before a dental crown can be added. Additionally, if a porcelain or porcelain-over-metal crown is selected, a dental impression or mold must be obtained and sent to a dental laboratory so that the crown can be fabricated. The crown can be placed after it is sent from the lab to your dentist's office.
There may also be a procedure performed to contour your gums so that your gum line looks completely natural around your dental implant.
To learn more about dental implants and what they entail, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area.
Share26 May 2016
Being born with naturally soft teeth, I've spent a lot of time in and out of the dentist's office. Not only have I learned a lot about basic dental care, I've also discovered many tips for dealing with broken teeth, extractions, implants, and more. I decided that I wanted to make the most of my experience by sharing what I've learned with others. True first-hand experience is a great teacher, and I knew that my story could help. I created this site to do just that, and I hope that the information here helps you to understand what to expect from your dental problems.