What You Need to Know About Dental Implants
Over the years, several upgrades in tooth replacement options are emerging. In the past, wood, ivory, and even animal teeth were all materials people used to make dentures.
Facts About Dental Implants
Fortunately, we now have more reliable advances that make tooth replacements more attractive, comfortable, and effective.
Dental implants use science, emphasizing aesthetics, to make replacement teeth that resemble the natural tooth. They have the advantage of conserving your facial structure and stopping additional tooth loss.
How Long Have Dental Implants Been Around?
You may be astonished to discover that dental implants have been around for a long time. In 1965, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark used dental implants to repair a volunteer’s smile.
In the area of dentistry, it took quite some time for implants to be completely accepted. Studies reveal that they are not only a safe but very effective choice for restoring teeth.
Presently, millions of people everywhere have gorgeous sets of implanted teeth.
Materials Used for Implants
Implants have two main parts - the post and the crown.
Dental Post: The post is the section that fuses with the bone. It goes into the jaw area - the material used for this is titanium. This metal is known for its durability and produces fewer allergy reactions in patients.
Another material that can be used for the post is Zirconia. It is used in rare cases only, where the patient is allergic to titanium, as it is metal-free.
The Dental Crown
The upper part is called the crown. It should match the shape and color of your natural teeth.
Dental crowns can be made of either metal, ceramic, or porcelain. The latter can be combined with metal for a stronger crown.
Our Tempe dentist will guide you in choosing the material that suits you. The selection will be based on oral health conditions, habits, and implant location.
What are the Different Types of Implants?
With dental implants, you can opt to replace just a single tooth or go for the full arch.
It is possible to replace several teeth using dental bridges. In this situation the dental implants will serve as anchors to hold the crowns in the middle.
If you desire to do a full arch, you can opt for either 4 or 6 posts. The more posts, the more stability is provided. The posts will hold the denture so it stays put while talking or eating.
For full-arch implants, you can opt for a fixed or removable arch. If you choose the removable type, you just snap them back in place after cleaning.
Same-day implants, also called immediate load implants, are the newest type. Only one procedure is required. It’s only available to those who have enough bone support in the jaw area.
What makes dental implants popular is how they look so natural after placement. You can choose the shape and tooth color you want.
The Dental Implant Procedure
These are the 4 steps performed in the dental implant procedure:
- Tooth extraction of the damaged tooth
- Implanting posts into the jawbone*
- Healing period - this takes 4-6 months
- Placement of dental crowns
*Note: Some patients require a sinus lift to prevent the implant from invading the sinus cavity. For patients who experienced bone loss due to a missing tooth, a bone graft is required to give a strong base for the post.
Our Tempe dentist can explain in more depth how the dental implant procedure works. Let us know if you are interested in getting dental implants. We offer options to restore your gorgeous smile.
Worried about cost? We accept most dental insurance, all major credit cards, and also offer Care Credit so you can get needed dental work right away.
