Dental implants are, quite simply, the best way to restore missing or damaged teeth. With that in mind, it’s really surprising how many people have never heard of them, or don’t know what they are. Implant surgery isn’t all that complex, or all that uncommon, but there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding implants, so let’s talk about that.
First, dental implants are not a way of creating teeth that will somehow be installed into your jaw with real roots like your natural teeth. An implant is actually a screw made out of titanium, and placed under your jaw, it looks nothing like a real tooth root. On top though, it’s a different story. On top, a crown is created to resemble a natural tooth. The implant itself holds the crown in place so that it will feel and function just like the tooth you were born with. It is even colored to match your adjacent teeth.
Once you have had the titanium screw installed, your jaw will need to take a bit of time to get used to the implant. This could take a couple of months, or depending on the level of deterioration in your gums, possibly as long as eight months. But once the healing has been completed and the crown installed, your implants will work and feel just the same as your original teeth.
Now, you may be wondering about what you will do in the meantime – will you have to live without teeth? No. Your dentist will provide you with a temporary set of teeth so that you can smile, bite and chew normally while you are waiting for the surgery to heal.
If you are wondering if you are a good candidate for dental implants, you probably don’t need to worry. Most people can have implants installed successfully, provided that there is enough bone density in the jaw to support the implants. And even if your jawbone has been compromised, bone grafting could be used to allow you to receive implants. Practically anyone whose dental health is generally good can receive implants without complication.
If you’re thinking about implants, call Ballston Dental at 518-885-8321 in Saratoga County. Make sure to like us on Facebook to receive updates on our latest blogs and news!