Dental Implant Restorations
Are you self-conscious about your smile because you have missing teeth?
Do you wear dentures that are uncomfortable?
If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, dental implants might be a good solution for you. Dental implants are a great option to replace your missing teeth and blend in well with your remaining real teeth.
Dental implants are the best long-term option available to restore your smile. They are highly functioning, cosmetically pleasing and one of the best advances in the dental industry in the last forty years.
How are dental implants made?
Dental implants are typically made from titanium and other materials that work well with our body. Implants are posts that are placed in the upper and lower jaw and function as anchors for replacement teeth like bridges, partials, and dentures. Since they replace both the root and crown of your tooth (with an aesthetic crown or multi-tooth prosthetic), implants offer a solid, dependable, fixed solution for the health of your mouth. If you have good oral health and sufficient bone tissue, Dr. Ginn may recommend dental implants to you.
Types of Dental Implants
There are two types of dental implants available, including endosteal and subperiosteal. Endosteal implants are placed in your jaw bone. On the contrary, subperiosteal utilizes metal framing and is fixed onto the jaw bone. Dr. Ginn can further discuss the options available and what might be best for your specific condition.
What should I expect if I need dental implants?
As a dentist who practices cosmetic dentistry, Dr. Ginn will work closely with an oral surgeon or periodontist, as well as a dental lab technician, to ensure that your entire dental implant procedure goes smoothly. The entire process will occur over the course of several months.
First, you will have your implants placed by an oral surgeon. While these implants heal, Dr. Ginn recommends incorporating soft foods, colder foods, and warm soups into your diet to aid the healing process. Next, you will be given time for your jaw bone to heal around your new implants. This is an important part of the process, as it is what makes the implant so strong. How quickly the bone heals will determine when your crowns can be placed on the implants.
Finally, after your healing has completed, your false teeth will be placed. Depending on if you are getting one tooth, or more than one tooth replaced, your dentist will elect to use a crown, bridge, or denture as your tooth replacement.
It is important to be in good general health to have the procedure done.
Please note that there are some chronic diseases which may prevent you from going through the implant process. These diseases include diabetes and leukemia, as they may interfere with your healing process. Another reason you may not be able to receive implants is if you make use of tobacco products. Unfortunately, tobacco will slow the healing process and may interfere with it completely. If your bone and gums cannot fully heal, implants will not be as permanent or useful. The healing process is key to the strength and longevity of your implants.