Missing teeth can cause problems in your social and professional life. They can also result in medical issues. If you want to change your smile, there are several options to choose from, some temporary and some permanent.
Dental implants are a permanent solution to your missing teeth. The implant itself lasts a lifetime, and the crown lasts up to 25 years. Although the upfront cost of dental implant surgery might seem high, it’s better to think about it as a life-long investment.
A common question when considering implant surgery is, ‘How do dental implants work?’ Often, patients have concerns about the discomfort of the surgery, the comfort of the artificial tooth and implant, and how to care for the dental implant long-term.
Fortunately, although the process can take up to nine months to complete, once you have your dental implants, they will feel and act similarly to a natural tooth.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants consist of three parts: the implant, the abutment, and the artificial tooth. The first two parts require surgery, and your dentist will fit your artificial tooth at their practice.
In addition to looking natural and being easy to care for, dental implants can increase your jawbone density. Missing teeth can result in bone loss. A dental implant can help to restart bone growth by giving it something to grow around.
Dental Implant Surgery Explained
Before your surgery, you will have a consultation with your dentist. During the meeting, they will perform a comprehensive examination of your mouth and teeth and determine if you require any surgeries or treatments before the dental implant surgery.
If everything is in order, they will determine the number of dental implants needed and set a date for your surgery.
During the surgery, your dentist will use an anaesthetic to numb the site. For nervous and anxious patients, we also offer laughing gas or IV sedation. Then, they will make an incision in your gum and your jaw. Next, they will insert the dental implant, a small titanium rod, into your jaw. The implant works similarly to a natural tooth root.
They will then stitch the incision closed.
After the dental implant surgery, you will need to wait for the implant to fuse to your jaw bone. This process known as osseointegration, can take anywhere from several weeks to several months. The recovery time will depend on the number of implants and your health before the surgery.
While you recover, follow your dentist’s instructions. You may need to take over the counter pain medications or eat soft foods for a few weeks. The majority of the recovery time is to allow the osseointegration.
The fusing of the jawbone and the dental implant is critical to the structural integrity of the implant. To support the abutment and the crown, the fusing must be complete.
Throughout your healing process, your dentist will probably schedule appointments to ensure the bone is fusing correctly.
Attaching the Abutment
After you have healed from your dental implant surgery, your dentist will schedule a second surgery to attach the abutment.
The abutment is a small hook that attaches to the top of the dental implant. In the final step, your dentist will connect your crown to the abutment.
For this surgery, your dentist will use local anaesthesia. They will make a small incision in your gum and attach the abutment to the top of the dental implant.
While you recover from the procedure, you will move on to the third and final step in this process.
The recovery time is often around two weeks, although the exact timing depends on the number of dental implants you have and your overall health. Smoking can also increase your recovery time.
Sometimes, your dentist will complete this step and the first in one surgery.
Designing Your Crown
Finally, you are ready to choose your artificial tooth or crown. Your dentist will make impressions of your teeth, and use them to make an artificial tooth that fits seamlessly with your natural smile.
It can take several weeks to create the crown. Once it’s ready, your dentist will schedule an appointment to fit it, which is a relatively simple procedure.
Caring For Your Dental Implants
In the weeks following your dental implant surgery, you will likely have to follow strict instructions, including cleaning and diet guidelines.
However, once your dental implants are complete, you can treat them just like you would a natural tooth. Brush and floss every day and schedule regular dental check-ups.
After 25 years, your crown may start to deteriorate, and you may need to replace it. However, the titanium rod should last for the rest of your life. The bone will continue to fuse with the rod, strengthening your jaw and supporting the rest of your teeth.
Make an Informed Decision
Now that you know the answer to ‘how do dental implants work?’, you need to decide if dental implants are right for you. If you are generally healthy, with no gum disease, enough bone density, able to pause smoking and maintain good dental hygiene, you are an excellent candidate for dental implant surgery.
If you have gum disease or your bone density is too low, your dentist might recommend treatments before scheduling the surgery. To address bone density, they might suggest a bone graft or sinus lift to ensure your jaw can support the implant.
You can treat gum disease through root planing and scale and polish. You will also need to brush and floss your teeth thoroughly and use an antiseptic mouthwash.
Contact Your Dentist Today
No Gaps Dental is available to answer all your questions about dental implants. If you want to close the gap in your smile, call us today on (02) 8806 0227 to set up a consultation at a No Gaps Dental location near you and learn more about the dental implant process.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.