Although dental care has improved in recent years, millions of Americans suffer tooth loss – often due to tooth decay, injury, or infection. The only treatment options available were bridges and dentures. But fortunate enough, we have dental implants today.  

What are Dental Implants?

A dental implant is a surgical process that provides a long-term solution for a missing tooth. This procedure requires fusing a biocompatible titanium material to the jawbone, replicating a natural tooth. The best part about dental implant procedure is that it offers excellent stability without affecting the neighboring teeth.

You may wonder, “Average Recovery Time of Dental Implants” Like any other dental treatments,

dental implants require a proper post-treatment aftercare to have long-lasting effects. As it is one

of the most sophisticated long-term solutions if you have a missing tooth.

If you think you need such a service and are looking for dental implants, here are a few things you need to know about dental implants:

Types of Dental Implants

There are two main types of dental implants that your dentist will recommend:

·         Endosteal

The endosteal implant is usually placed in the jawbone or the jawline. These implants are made from titanium and are molded as a small screw-like structure.

·         Subperiosteal

Unlike the endosteal, subperiosteal is not placed in the jawbone. Instead, they are placed under the gum or on the jawbone. These implants are typically used for patients with a weak jawbone or for those who are unwilling to go for a bone augmentation procedure on their jaws.

There are also other options that your orthodontist may suggest, based on your requirements and jawbone’s health.

• Mini dental implants
• Immediate load dental implants
• All-on-4®

The Procedure

Here is the complete process that you can expect during the dental implant procedure:

1. Extraction: the damaged tooth is extracted from your mouth
2. Grafting: this step only occurs when your jawbone is not strong enough to bear the chewing pressure and cannot support the implant. To help this problem, grafting of the jawbone provides a strong foundation for the implant.
3. Placing the implant: in this step, your orthodontist exposes the bone covered by the gum. Holes are then drilled into your bone, and the dental implant is placed.
4. Healing time for bone growth: after placing the implants, the next step is to wait for the jawbone to grow back. This process is known as Osseointegration. This may take a few weeks or months.
5. Placing the abutment: this minor surgery involves reopening the gum to expose the implant. Your orthodontist will then place an abutment where the dental crown can fit.
6. Placing the artificial tooth: once the mouth heals, your dentist will create a close-to-real replacement for the damaged/missing tooth by taking impressions of your teeth and gums.

Post Procedure Problems

A few common problems you might face after a dental implant are:

• Gum/skin bruises
• Minor bleeding
• Pain for the first few days
• Swelling around gums

Safety Measure

Dental implants depend on more than one factor. Many dentists suggest you follow the following evaluations as a safety measure:

• A comprehensive dental exam
• Reviewing medical history
• Planning the treatment

Good news for you, as the dental implants have a 95% success rate. However, you should know what the signs of dentalimplant failure are before jumping straight into it.