Nothing improves your self-esteem more than a beautiful smile. When you have a hurting or missing tooth, your mind is always partially occupied with thoughts about it. With a success rate of 98%, dental implants can solve the issue of your broken or missing tooth, relieve your pain, and win back your confidence.
Of course, getting dental implants can be nerve-wracking especially if you aren't familiar with the procedure, the recovery, or the types of dental implants. Before you discuss getting a dental implant with your dentist, read this helpful guide for more information on the types of dental implants.
Dental implants are recommended for patients who are missing part of or a whole tooth due to:
A dental implant consists of two components. The first is a metal screw inserted into your jaw which bonds to the bone and acts as your new root. An abutment is attached to the screw and holds your artificial tooth in place.
In all dental implant procedures, the basic process is the removal of the remaining tooth, jawbone preparation, implant placement, healing, and the final placement of the abutment and artificial tooth.
There are two main kinds of steel rod implants.
The most common kind of implant is the endosteal implant. First the dentist drills through your jaw bone (after applying a general anesthetic). The titanium steel rod is placed directly into the jawbone and protrudes through the gum for these kinds of implants.
Your bone will be given time to heal from the procedure before your doctor moves forward with applying the false tooth.
If your jaw doesn't have enough bone mass to support an endosteal implant, your dentist will recommend a subperiosteal implant. A subperiosteal implant sits on instead of in the jawbone, but still under the gum.
There are a number of factors to consider before your dentist can determine if you are a good candidate for a dental implant.
The first thing to consider is the quality and amount of bone you have. After a tooth is lost, the bone beneath it begins to deteriorate, so it's possible that you won't have enough to support an implant if you've been missing a tooth for a long time.
Age is also an important factor in getting a dental implant. If you lose an adult tooth before your body is finished growing, your dentist may recommend waiting to get an implant until you're about 18 years old.
You must also have good general and oral health before your surgery. You may not be able to get a dental implant if you:
It's also important to consider your dental coverage when deciding on dental implants. Most dental insurance covers at least some of the cost of the procedure. It will be broken down into the extraction of the tooth, the placement of the rod, and the artificial tooth.
Dental implants can cost between $3,000-$4,500, but many insurances will pay for all of it except the implant placement.
Your dentist will determine which kind of implant placement is right for your jaw bone mass, but different types of dental implants matter when it comes to your artificial tooth as well. Each type of dental implant offers a solution for different amounts of tooth loss.
If you're missing only a single tooth or missing several teeth in different areas of your mouth, your dentist will recommend a single tooth dental implant. It requires one rod to be placed into your bone. After a period of 3-4 months for healing, your dentist will attach your permanent false tooth - also called a crown.
Don't worry about your crown being noticeable! Your dentist will match the exact color of your other teeth and craft the crown in a shape that is comfortable for your mouth.
If you're missing several teeth that are adjacent to each other, your dentist may recommend an implant-supported bridge.
A bridge helps limit the trauma to your jawbone by attaching multiple false teeth in a row to two implants instead of an implant for each false tooth. The teeth in the middle of the row will not have their own implant. You can also help limit the cost of the procedure this way because insurance will pay for each false tooth, but not necessarily each implant.
For more information on single tooth dental implants versus an implant-supported bridge, check out this helpful article.
If you are missing the majority of your teeth on the top or bottom of your mouth or need many removed, an implant retained denture may be your best option.
Dentures cover a large area of your mouth with an arch of false teeth that imitate the look of a full set of teeth. Traditional dentures are removable which can lead to issues like slipping, clicking, and falling out. They can make actions like eating, talking, and drinking a little more difficult.
An implant-retained denture is different in that you fasten the denture directly to your new roots for a more secure denture fit.
Now that you have a better idea of what kind of dental implants could be right for you, you can go into your first appointment with your dentist feeling confident. Discuss your options with your dentist, and start looking forward to a beautiful and comfortable smile.
If you'd like to make an appointment for a dental implant consultation, be sure to check out our appointment booking form.
