What Exactly Are Permanent Dental Implants?
It’s never fun dealing with dental issues, however, it is essential to protect your health. A lot of people can get away with basic cleanings and regular fillings, although there are also many patients that have tooth issues that are more serious. Things like this can lead to root canals and crowns, but there are also times when losing a tooth might not be preventable. In such circumstances, there are numerous choices; however, a permanent dental implant usually works the best. So what exactly are permanent dental implants? How do they look? How exactly do they work? Keep reading to learn all this so that you know if you ever have to make this decision.
What Are Implants
Your dentist has plenty of temporary solutions for any bad teeth you have, but the most effective long-term answer is a permanent dental implant. They have a projected lifespan of three decades or more, so long as the user takes good care of them and keeps their overall mouth healthy. If a patient does this, it’s actually possible for permanent dental implants to last them the rest of their life without the need for major maintenance or replacement.
The dental implant is basically a false tooth customized just for your mouth based on your x-rays. This tooth is made using attractive and durable artificial materials that can stand the test of time, even when rooted using a titanium screw put through your gums and anchored into the physical jaw bone. This works out well because it is a solid anchor as you could possibly hope for, and titanium is among the few metals that get along really well with biological tissue. In these circumstances your jaw bone bonds to the titanium, fusing with it, and then locking it in as just another part of your jaw. This lets your sculpted tooth get anchored as strong as any other.
Implants can be made for an individual tooth, a group of teeth, or even theoretically for replacing all of your teeth, in time. You do still need to care for your teeth, tongue, and gums by brushing, rinsing, flossing, and getting your regular check-ups.
The Steps Of The Process
One thing you should know is that in many cases getting a permanent implant is a process of multiple steps. This is particularly true if teeth have already been removed for a while because that can result in natural breakdown or loss of your jaw bone. In circumstances such as these, it might be necessary to have a bone graft done to ensure there’s enough jaw bone for a solid anchor for those titanium screws.
In many cases, the screw is inserted and then has to be monitored for several weeks in order to make sure that it takes all properly. The success rate is well above 95% for every implant, although you might have a hard time having it take, so a new strategy would be necessary at that point. Once your screws are placed and incurred, then your customized teeth are ready to be put in.
In Summary
Permanent dental implants are a tremendous option if you want to keep your mouth healthy in the long run. If you’re currently missing any teeth or you have an injured tooth that’s going to need replacement, then this option is worth considering.
