Dental implant procedures do wonders for you and help you get a perfect smile. They are very similar to natural teeth, and their most significant advantage is that they restore your chewing. You can do everything with an implant with your natural teeth, including brushing and flossing. Contact a dentist for the best dental implants in Midlothian.
What are dental implants?
They are artificial tooth roots that the doctor will surgically place in your jawbone. In a couple of months, the bone around the implant will grow and hold it in place. Later, the dentist puts the replacement teeth on the implant with a metal connector.
What are the types of dental implants?
- Endosteal: these are the implants that are most commonly put. They look like small screws and are made with materials like titanium, which is body safe. These implants are placed deep into the jawbone and may anchor one or numerous other teeth.
- Subperiosteal: this type of implant is not common and is only done when there isn’t enough healthy jawbone for an endosteal implant. These implants are not drilled into the jawbone but are put under the gums.
The procedure:
An implant happens over months and consists of numerous steps. The surgery will also need the help of different dental specialists like an oral surgeon and a periodontist.
Pre-surgery:
The dentist will first evaluate your teeth, gums, and jawbone to decide which type of implant would be best for you. Your dentist may suggest a bone graft if you have a soft jawbone and check whether you’re free of any periodontal disease.
Depending on the number of teeth to be replaced, the type of surgery will also change. The implants are generally put under local anesthesia, IV sedation, or general anesthesia, and your dentist will inform you beforehand about the one they’ll be going ahead with.
The surgery:
In an endosteal implant, the surgeon will expose your Janine, drill deep into it, and put the implant post in there. An optional temporary denture can be put in for aesthetic purposes until your jawbone is ready for permanent teeth.
In a subperiosteal implant, your jawbone will not be exposed, and the implant will be placed above the jawbone.
The surgery will give you some discomfort or swelling, which is expected to go away eventually. It takes 2-6 months for your jawbone to grow around the screw, called osseointegration.
An abutment is placed above the implant during the initial procedure or later on to place the replaced tooth to the implant.
Placing the tooth:
Once your jawbone is healed, your dentist will place either the permanent or removable teeth according to your preference after taking an impression of your teeth.
