Dental Implants: When is the Right Time to Get Them?

Dental Implants: When is the Right Time to Get Them?

Jan 01, 2021

Dental implants are basically substitutes for tooth roots. They provide a solid foundation for permanent or artificial teeth that have been tailored to match the appearance of your natural teeth. Dental implant surgery replaces your tooth roots with metal posts that anchor replacement teeth. Dental implants are a reliable alternative to bridges and dentures.

The manner in which dental implant surgery is done is dependent on your jawbone’s condition and the kind of implant.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dental implants come with numerous benefits, including:

  • Improved Appearance: Dental implants are loved for their aesthetics. Because they are made to bear a close resemblance to your natural teeth, implants appear natural ad improve the appearance of your smile. Also, they feel like a part of you since they are fused with the jawbone.
  • Improved Speech: Poorly-fitting dentures can cause your teeth to slip, resulting in slurring or mumbling. This isn’t the case with implants, as you can speak freely.
  • Improved Comfort: Implants are a part of you, so you won’t deal with the shame and discomfort of removing them.
  • Easier Eating: With sliding dentures, you may have difficulty chewing. Implants work like your natural teeth and allow you to eat anything you want without causing you any pain.
  • Improved Self-esteem: Gaps from missing teeth can be a huge blow to your self-esteem. They make you doubt your self-worth. Implants are here to change the narrative and bring back your beautiful smile.
  • Improved Dental Health: With dental implants, modifications of the tooth structure is not needed. Because of this, all your natural teeth are left intact. This, in the long-run, improves your oral health.
  • Durability: When well taken care of, implants guarantee you long servitude.
  • Convenience: As earlier mentioned, there will be no removing of implants as they are part of you. This saves you the embarrassing moments. Also, you won’t have to deal with messy adhesives.

The Right Timing for Dental Implants

The truth is you can get implants during any season, fall or winter. Therefore, you shouldn’t wait long with missing teeth. As you continue waiting, the bone and gums below the gaps will start sinking and deteriorating. If this happens, you may require a bone graft or periodontal surgery before the implants are installed.

If you are still healing from any dental procedures, you will have to wait for a few weeks before your implants can be fitted. All in all, no obstacles stand in your way, so the sooner you get to it, the better. In most cases, if the gum tissue and bone surrounding the gaps are healthy, your dentist in Columbia, MD can install the implants within a single visit.

Who can have Implants

Generally, you will find implants a suitable treatment option if you:

  • Have missing teeth
  • Have a fully-developed jawbone
  • Do not like wearing dentures
  • Desire to improve your speech
  • Don’t use tobacco
  • Have adequate and healthy bone
  • Are willing to undergo the treatment for several months
  • Have healthy mouth tissues

Preparing for Dental Implants

Because several surgical procedures are involved when getting dental implants near you, a thorough evaluation is imperative. Your dentist may perform a comprehensive oral exam by ordering X-rays and taking 3D images of your mouth. They may also have impressions of your jaw and teeth.

Next, the dentist reviews your medical history. They may ask you questions about your past and current medical conditions. This is the point where you reveal the medications you are currently on, whether over-the-counter, supplements or prescription drugs. Patients with heart conditions may be prescribed antibiotics prior to the surgery to prevent infections.

Lastly, the dental team comes up with a custom treatment plan that suits the patient’s needs. The treatment plan takes several factors into account, such as the number of missing teeth and the remaining teeth and jawbone’s condition.

For purposes of ensuring the patient is calm and relaxed during the procedure, anesthetics may be administered. For a painless surgery, your doctor will help determine the anesthesia that best works for you.

Basically, placing dental implants follows these steps:

  • Removal of damaged teeth
  • Preparation of the jawbone. Where necessary, bone grafting can be done
  • Placement of the dental implant
  • Growth of the bone and healing
  • Placement of the abutment
  • Placement of artificial teeth

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