A missing tooth can affect far more than your confidence. They can cause tooth decay, tooth misalignment, and even further tooth loss. You may also find it harder to speak clearly and eat hard or chewy foods. While there are several tooth replacement options available, dental implants are the only permanent solution to missing teeth. If you are interested in pursuing dental implant surgery to replace your missing tooth, here’s what to know about dental implants.
What are Dental Implants?
Unlike other tooth replacement options, dental implants are surgically implanted directly into your jawbone. They have three separate parts, including a titanium screw, a hook called an abutment, and the artificial restoration, typically a crown, bridge, or denture plate. The only visible part of the implant is the artificial tooth, while the other two parts sit underneath your gums.
Because dental implants sit inside your jaw, they act like a natural tooth root, providing support to your artificial tooth. They also last a lifetime, meaning you won’t need to worry about replacements, like you do with removable dentures or a dental bridge. You can get a single dental implant or they can be used to replace several missing teeth or even a full arch.
What to Know About Dental Implants: The Process
Replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant requires several surgeries and appointments. The process starts with an initial consultation with your dentist so they can examine your teeth and take your medical history. Your dentist checks to see that you have healthy gums, sufficient jawbone density, and no serious or chronic health conditions.
If your jawbone can’t support a dental implant, your dentist may suggest a bone graft. This process involves a surgery and requires around three months of recovery before the dental implants process can begin. Gum disease often takes less time to treat and may require antibiotics to clear up any infection.
Once you have resolved any pre-existing health issues, your dentist schedules a date for your dental implant surgery. At the surgery, you’ll either have IV sedation or a local anaesthetic to lessen any potential discomfort and help with anxiety. The length of the surgery depends on how many dental implants you receive.
If you’ve opted for IV sedation, you’ll need a friend or family member to meet you at the surgery and bring you home. Once home, follow all your dentist’s post-op instructions.
You can help speed up your recovery process by eating soft foods, sleeping with your head elevated, regularly rinsing your mouth with warm salty water, and avoiding smoking. You can return to normal activities after about 48 hours. You may experience some mild swelling at the site, but it subsides quickly.
You may need to wait three to six months before scheduling the next step of your dental implant surgery. Because dental implants sit directly in your jawbone, they fuse to the bone over time, providing an anchor for your artificial tooth. This is called osseointegration, and it is an integral part of the dental implant process.
Once the osseointegration process has finished, your dentist will schedule your next surgery. Like the first one, you’ll receive sedation, and your dentist will make an incision in your gum to reveal the dental implant. They then attach the abutment, a small hook or ball attachment that connects the dental implant to the artificial tooth or dental crown. Once finished, your dentist will seal the incision and wake you up. After this surgery, you’ll have a one to two-week recovery period.
After you’ve healed from your second dental implant surgery, your dentist schedules an appointment to discuss your artificial tooth. At your appointment, they take impressions of your mouth to create a customised tooth replacement. When the artificial tooth is completed, you’ll come back into the dental practice for a fitting.
Finally, you will have a customised dental implant that looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth, allowing you to eat and speak without issue.
What to Know About Dental Implants: Health Benefits
There are several tooth replacement options available, but dental implants offer the most health benefits. A missing tooth can cause your jawbone to lose density, eventually changing your facial structure. It can also result in other teeth shifting, becoming crooked or falling out. Many people also struggle to clean gaps in their teeth thoroughly, so they are more likely to develop gum disease and cavities.
Because of the osseointegration process, dental implants can help prevent these health issues from occurring. The dental implant acts as a natural tooth root, so it stops bone loss and can also prevent further tooth loss by stimulating bone tissue.
Dental implants are easy to clean, just requiring regular flossing and brushing.
Because dental implants mimic natural teeth, you’ll be able to eat what you like. Many healthier foods, including crunchy vegetables and lean meat, can be challenging to eat with missing teeth. Having dental implants enables you to eat a balanced, healthy diet without worrying about damaging your restorations.
Schedule Your Dental Implants Consultation Today
If you want to replace your missing tooth with dental implants, call No Gaps Dental and arrange an initial consultation. At your consultation, we’re happy to answer your questions about dental implant surgery, how a missing tooth can affect your health, and whether you’re a candidate for dental implants.
Call us today at (02) 8007 6727 and start your journey towards a confident smile.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.