Dental implants are a permanent and appealing solution to replace missing or extracted teeth. They are better than other alternatives like bridges,dentures or partial dentures because no additional teeth need to be altered to place the new tooth. They are easy for the patient to clean around and maintain. Implants also do not move around like a denture while eating or speaking.
The entire implant process is usually performed over the course of a few months. The first part of the process is to place the implant itself into the jaw bone.This is done after the patient has been anestitized, so as not to feel anything. An incision is made in the gum and the implant can be inserted. Multiple implants can be placed at once if necessary. After the implants are placed the gums are sutured.
The implant must be allowed about 3-6 months to heal, and during this time the jaw bone will form around the implant in a process called osseointegration. During this healing time you may have temporary crowns made, so that you can eat and speak normally, and maintain a proper aesthetic appearance for your smile.
After the implant has healed it is time to place an abutment on the implant. The abutment serves as the base for your new tooth. An impression of the abutment is taken and this is used to create your permanent restoration by a highly skilled lab technician. Once the restoration is completed you can return to the office to attach the restoration permanently. Your smile will look better than ever and after a short period of getting used to the implant it will feel just like one of your own teeth
Implants are also a useful option for increasing stability and retention for ill fitting dentures or removable partial dentures that have unsightly clasps. Implants can be placed into the bone underneath a denture to make the denture more stable,this makes eating and speaking easier. It is also possible to totally eliminate the need for a denture or partial denture with an implant retained prosthesis(crown and bridge work ) which is non- removable and comfortable, making life more enjoyable and spontaneous.
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