Everything You Need to Know About Dental Implants

Do you have missing teeth, dental bridges, or crowns? If so, you are not alone.

Over 15 million Americans receive bridges and crowns every year. The American Dental Associations also reports that 5 million Americans get dental implants each year.

Dental implants can provide a permanent and cosmetically appealing outcome. Keep reading to learn more about dental implants.

A dental implant has become the standard prosthetic used to replace missing teeth. Implants provide the most natural tooth substitute. They don’t rely on neighboring teeth for stability.

The implanted artificial root fuses with the jawbone, making this a permanent solution. The technology and science have progressed over the past 30 years. Dental implants now have close to a 98% success rate.

Dental implants now look, feel, and work like your other natural teeth. They do not need special care. Therefore, dentists now recommend implants on a regular basis.

There are two different types of implants.

Endosteal implants are inserted into the jawbone. After the gum tissue heals, another surgery connects an abutment to the implant. The last step involves attaching the artificial tooth to the post.

Subperiosteal implants contain a metal frame that's placed onto the jawbone beneath the gum tissue. In time, this frame becomes attached to the jawbone.

Posts are then connected to the frame. The post later holds the prosthetic tooth.

The most common purpose of dental implants is to replace missing teeth. This can occur due to several circumstances. Individuals may lose teeth due to cavities and decay.

Patients born with a cleft palate may have missing teeth. Sometimes, the deformities related to the cleft cause tooth loss.

Patients who grind their teeth create abnormal forces on their teeth. The teeth may lose their integrity due to enamel loss. Tooth fractures may also occur, requiring tooth extraction.

Individuals may choose dental implants if existing dentures prove bothersome. The individual may prefer the more permanent solution provided by dental implants.

Dental implants provide several advantages. People have expressed many reasons for wanting implants.

Tired of dentures: Many individuals who have worn dentures tire of the care required. They also may fit poorly and feel unnatural.

Problems eating: It can be difficult to bite and chew with missing teeth. The incisors or front teeth provide the ability to tear and bite food. Dental implants are strong enough to allow people to bite and chew normally again.

Speech problems: Normal speech relies on the presence of incisors. The tongue and lips use these front teeth to make hard letter sounds like “f” and “th.” Missing front teeth makes speaking difficult.

Social and work problems: First impressions go a long way. When someone has visibly missing teeth, others may form unfavorable opinions. They may think that they don’t practice good oral hygiene or don’t care about their appearance.

Some individuals will assume that the person is of a lower socioeconomic status. They may also believe they are less intelligent. This can cause a significant impact on social and work relationships.

Low self-esteem: Having missing teeth can cause embarrassment for individuals. They may decrease social interactions. Due to the lack the confidence, he/she may not pursue further education or advancement in the workplace.

Dental Implants can solve these problems. Missing teeth can now be permanently replaced.

What factors determine a good candidate for dental implants? The patient needs to have good general medical health.

This implant process involves surgical procedures. Screenings take place to look for problems that might increase surgical risk.

They must also have good oral health. Placing an implant into diseased tissue increases the risk of infection and other complications. There must also be enough bone in the jaw to accommodate the implant.

Some people may not be good candidates for dental implants. Implants can’t fit in a jawbone that is too small. Certain medical conditions, such as periodontal diseases or uncontrolled diabetes, increase the risk of infection and poor healing.

Other medical conditions that exclude patients from implant placement include:

• Blood clotting disorders
  
• Bone disease
  
• Compromised immune systems
  
• Systemic diseases
  
• Drug abuse

The surgeon may not offer an implant procedure to cigarette smokers. Smokers have impaired healing. This may result in the loosening of the implant or infections.

It’s important to find out if your insurance will pay for dental implants before making final plans. Many dental insurance plans don’t cover dental implants. They consider this an elective, cosmetic procedure.

However, some insurance companies do pay for dental implants. They consider this a restorative jaw procedure to improve eating and speaking. Be sure to explore this option.

Some dental insurance plans ask the patient to pay for the dental implants upfront. Then the company reimburses the patient for the procedure. Dentists often offer payment plans to assist individuals in paying for the implant.

Dental payment plans include “indemnity dental insurance”, “fee-for-service” plans, or “traditional dental insurance." These plans do not have limited networks or approved dental providers.

With these dental policies, there’s often a deductible. After the deductible, insurance covers about 50% to 80% of the “reasonable and customary” cost. Many policies then pay 100% for preventative care.

Dentists complete several steps before starting the implant process. Initial X-rays of the mouth are often taken. A 3D CT scan can aid in screening for pre-existing problems.

Examination of the teeth, gums, and bone ensures that they are healthy. The dentist will make impressions of the teeth and jawbone. A replica of your mouth, gums, teeth, and more is then created to assist with planning the procedure.

The dentist will review the patient’s medical history and list of current medications. This ensures that the patient is healthy enough to have dental implants. An individualized treatment plan strives to meet the patient’s specific needs.

Dental implant surgery varies depending on the condition of the jawbone. The outpatient surgeries are often completed in several stages. Time for healing must occur before the next step.

The process involves the following:

Removal of the damaged tooth if applicable.

Jawbone grafting: When the bone isn’t thick enough or is too soft, a bone graft is performed first. This creates a solid base for the implant. The graft takes several months for enough bone to grow to complete the next step in the process.

Dental Implant placement: The surgeon makes a small incision in your gum so he/she can reach the bone. Holes are then drilled into the bone. Metal posts are placed deep into the bone where they will act as the artificial root.

The next step is to wait for osseointegration. This describes the process of the jawbone growing into the dental implant.

This process takes several months. Once completed, a solid base has formed to hold the implant.

Placement of temporary denture: Since there will be a gap while the bone heals, a temporary denture is often put in place. This denture is removable for cleaning or sleeping.

Placement of the abutment: This often involves another surgery. The surgeon reopens the gum and exposes the dental implant.

An abutment is then placed on the dental implant. The abutment serves as the connector between the implant and the artificial tooth. Once the abutment is in place, the gum is closed and left to heal for about two weeks.

After the gum heals, the dentist makes another impression of the mouth and teeth. The artificial tooth, or crown, is made using the impression.

Once the surgeon determines that your jawbone can support using the new tooth, it’s put in place.

The dental specialist will assist in the selection of a removable, fixed, or combination style crown.

Removable crowns have a white tooth with a pink plastic bum. It snaps securely into place on the implant abutment. This allows removal for repair or cleaning.

During the process of receiving a dental implant, many people experience swelling of the gums and face, bruising of the skin and gums, and minor bleeding. Pain may also occur at the implant site.

Your surgeon may prescribe pain medications or antibiotics. Contact your surgeon for worsening swelling or pain not relieved by the medications.

Eating soft food following each step in the process helps with the discomfort. It’s important to maintain a healthy diet to promote the healing process.

If you think dental implants are the right choice for you, contact a dental specialist. At Riverside Dental Care, we work with our patients to provide expert preventative care. Our goal is for patients to maintain dental health.

When additional care is needed, we work with the patients to develop the plan of care. We provide the education and support needed to help you achieve your desired outcome.