Missing teeth can throw your bite out of alignment altering your facial profile. This can negatively impact your aesthetics and smile. Recent advancements in dentistry have replaced traditional bridges and dentures with innovative dental implants. If you choose to replace missing teeth, the specialists offering cosmetic dentistry in Manassas, VA, recommend dental implants since they offer permanent solutions.
What are dental implants?
Dental implants are artificial teeth replacement solutions that consist of screw-like posts. These mimic your missing tooth roots and embed themselves deep into the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. The titanium posts provide a strong foundation and stability for future restorations like crowns, bridges, and dentures.
Types of dental implants:
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Endosteal (in the bone)
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- These are common types of dental implants that are made from biocompatible titanium alloys.
- These are embedded deep into the jawbone and replace missing tooth roots.
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Subperiosteal (on the bone)
- This type of dental implant is preferred when your jawbone is not healthy enough to support an implant.
- These are inserted under the gums but are not drilled inside the bone. They are placed over the bone rather than inside it.
What is the surgery timeline and recovery involved in dental implants?
Dental implant procedure requires multiple steps ranging over a period of 3 to 9 months. Here is a detailed guide to the surgery involved for dental implants:
Evaluation
- The first step involves the evaluation of the missing space, gums, and jawbone.
- It helps evaluate the health of your bones that support the dentures.
- If your jawbone is thin, your dentist may provide bone grafts to promote bone integration.
Implant surgery
- This is an outpatient procedure that involves using local anesthesia.
- Your dentist will cut the gums, exposing the jawbone.
- Holes will be drilled deep into the bone and an implant post will be inserted.
- A healing cap is placed over it for protection.
Osseointegration
- After the implant is placed, it will take anywhere between 2 to 6 months to fuse, and until the new bone grows around the screw.
- This is known as osseointegration.
Abutment placement
- This is a metal extender that is attached to the implant which connects the replacement tooth.
- The gums may take several weeks to heal after the abutment placement.
Placing the tooth
- Once the healing is complete, your dentist will take oral impressions to fabricate the permanent tooth.
- The lab technician will fabricate permanent restoration in the form of permanent crowns, bridges, or temporary dentures with a metal frame.
Bottom line
Getting dental implants may feel tedious but these are one-time investment solutions that help replace missing teeth permanently. Discuss your goals and expectations with your dentist to determine if dental implants are the right choice of treatment for your oral needs. They look natural and are meant to last for many decades.
