Dental implants have grown increasingly popular in the last few decades. This is partly because they are an effective way of correcting dental deformities by replacing missing teeth. The technology around the implants themselves has also improved tremendously. These days, you can even get dental implants in any hue that you desire, ensuring that they are virtually indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Here then is a step by step guide to getting a dental implant
What Dental Implants Correct
Dental implants are great at replacing missing teeth. When you have missing teeth, it is easy to develop a misaligned bite as the remaining teeth shift to compensate for the missing one. By having an implant surgically inserted, this shifting of teeth is halted or even reversed. Having a dental implant also helps to ensure that you have a beautiful smile. This is because gaps in your teeth can be very unsightly and may affect your self-confidence.
Preparation
Given the fact that a dental implant procedure is a highly intrusive procedure, your dentist will probably discuss with you other options that are available and probably tell you why they think dental implants are the best course of treatment for you. He or she will then take you a step-by-step description of what the procedure is likely to entail.
Inserting the Anchor
For the purposes of this article, we are going to assume that the patient has healthy gums and no procedures need to be done before the implant procedure. In reality, dentists will often deal with cavities, bacterial infections, bone-mass loss, and any other dental problems before proceeding with the implant process. During the first stage, a titanium rod is surgically inserted into the bone. Titanium is popular because, over time, it fuses into the jaw bone, thus making the implant firm. This titanium rod acts like the root of the tooth. After this procedure, the dentist will allow the patient time to heal and the rod to fuse properly to the jaw bone.
Crown
Given that the patient may have difficulties in chewing food while the titanium rod fuses, dentists will often give the patient a temporary crown to protect the treated area. Once the rod is properly fused, the patient returns to the clinic for a more permanent crown. This is usually designed to be an exact fit to the area where the tooth once was. The color and composition of the crown are also something that will have been agreed up much earlier. After the treatment, it is common for the dentist to do several checkups to ensure that the implant has been successful. The dentist is also likely to ask the patient to avoid hard food, alcohol, and smoking; all of which can affect the healing process. Dr. Alex Rubinov is an experienced dental practitioner in New York. The practice offers a range of services including teeth whitening, smile makeovers, cosmetic dentistry, and orthodontics, to name but a few. Contact the team at (718) 253-0800 for an appointment.