What To Expect With A Dental Implant Procedure

A dental implant procedure places an artificial tooth root that helps hold a replacement tooth or bridge. For people in good general oral health but have lost a tooth or teeth due to periodontal disease, an injury or some other reason then an dental implant procedure can be a good idea. The dental implant procedure is better for tooth saving than bridgework since it doesn't rely on neighboring teeth for support.

Since the dental implant procedure is high tech they are natural looking and feeling, so you may even forget that you ever lost a tooth. This procedure allows individuals who are missing one or more teeth to smile, speak and eat again with full comfort and confidence. The implants can last a lifetime provided they are placed by a periodontist and there is diligent patient maintenance. The long-term studies continue to show increase success rates for dental implants.

Types Of Implants

There are two type of implants used in the dental implant procedure. The first is an endosteal or in the bone implant. This is the most commonly used type. Screws, cylinders or blades are surgically placed in the jawbone and each implant will hold one or more prosthetic teeth. This implant is chosen for those who have bridges or removable dentures. The second type is subperiosteal or on the bone which are placed on top of the jaw with metal framework posts protruding through the gum in order to hold the prosthetic teeth. For patients who can't wear traditional dentures or those with minimal bone height this type of implant will be used.

The Advantages

If you have missing teeth there are many added benefits you can have with a dental implant procedure over traditional dental methods. The first benefit is that after the dental implant procedure the teeth will look and feel like your own. In addition, since they integrate into the structure of your bone you won't have to worry about bone loss and gum recession that often occurs with bridgework and dentures. It is impossible to tell that you have a replacement tooth.

With the dental implant procedure you won't sacrifice the quality of your adjacent teeth like you would if you have a bridge that relied on the neighboring teeth for support. With an implant more of your own teeth are not touched which gives an increased long term benefit to your overall oral health. You will have an increased confidence after a dental implant procedure since you can once again speak and eat with comfort and confidence. Most of all dental implants are reliable. The success rate is highly predictable. For tooth replacement the dental implant procedure is considered an excellent option.