3 Questions About Dental Implants You Should Know The Answer To

Has your dentist recommended a dental implant to replace a missing tooth? It can provide a long lasting solution to a problem that would otherwise be permanent. Before moving forward with the procedure, it's important to know the answer to these 3 questions.

How Will The Implant Be Installed?

Your dental implant will use a rod that is made out of titanium and installed directly into your jawbone to stabilize it. Once it is placed, there will be a healing process that you must go through before a permanent crown can be attached to the rod. You essentially need the jawbone to fuse with the rod so that it becomes as strong as a natural tooth, since if the bond doesn't happen, then the implant could fail.

After the bond is complete, the dentist will attach an abutment to the rod, which is what the crown will eventually connect to. There is another healing process that you must go through, but it may only last for weeks rather than months.

The dentist will create a crown that is designed to match the color of the surrounding teeth and blend in perfectly, going as far as matching the translucent nature of the enamel of your natural teeth. It's made out of a porcelain material, or a porcelain shell on top of metal. Once that crown goes on the rod, it will look and feel like a real tooth.

How Are The Recovery Periods Handled?

Your dentist will advise you about how to handle the area with the implant during recovery. It's likely that you will be told to stick to soft foods to avoid agitating the area since you'll have a temporary crown covering the post. It is also common to be prescribed an antibiotic to reduce the chance of an infection around the surgical area.

Do Dental Implants Fail?

Like any surgical procedure, there is a risk involved where the procedure could fail. However, 95% percent of dental implants are successfully installed. If the implant does fail, it is usually due to not following recovery instructions, the patient having a poor recovery due to diabetes, or issues with teeth grinding that are not treated with a mouth guard.

Still interested in dental implant treatment? Schedule a meeting with your dentist. They'll let you know if you're a good fit for the procedure based on the teeth you're looking to replace and your oral health.