What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a tooth replacement restoration. Technically, the dental implant is simply a titanium screw that a dentist inserts into your jawbone. When your body repairs the bone around the implant, the new bone attaches to it, making it part of your bone.
Often, when discussing dental implants, we talk about the implant itself and the replacement teeth attached to it. These might be a dental crown, bridge, or even a full denture.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are the best tooth replacement option. That’s because they offer many benefits you don’t get from other choices. Benefits include:
- Enjoy all your favorite foods
- Have an attractive smile
- Support jawbone and healthy gums
- No damage to neighboring teeth
- Easy maintenance
- Can last a lifetime
They are revolutionary because they are tooth replacements that are fully fixed in your jawbone. Because they’re attached to your jawbone–similar to natural teeth–they let you eat all the same foods you enjoyed with your natural teeth.
Dental implants don’t just plug the hole in your smile; they give you a completely natural-looking replacement. The implant isn’t attached to neighboring teeth or to a plastic base–they sink right into your gum tissue just like natural teeth. They can be almost indistinguishable from your natural teeth.
Unlike dentures and dental bridges–which rest on top of your gums–dental implants go into your jawbone. This not only supports the implant, but it also stimulates the jawbone. This prevents your body from removing bone, as it normally does after losing a tooth. With the jawbone supported, your gums will stay at a healthy level, too.
Because they support themselves, they don’t cause any damage to neighboring teeth. Partial dentures and dental bridges rely on your natural teeth for support, which can sometimes damage them and even lead to their loss.
Dental implants don’t require any special care. Just brush, floss, and make regular dental appointments. The flossing may be slightly different, but you’ll get the hang of it after a little practice.
Like natural teeth, they can last for a lifetime if properly cared for. Twenty and thirty-year scientific studies report a 93-100% survival rate. The first dental implant recipient passed away over 40 years after his implant. They were all still in place. The second person to get dental implants had them more than 50 years later.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Another good thing about dental implants is that almost everyone is a candidate. There are only three absolute restrictions on who can get them:
- Have one or more missing teeth
- Have a mature jawbone that has stopped growing
- Be in good health for surgery
If you meet all those requirements, you can get dental implants. In some situations, we may have to talk about restrictions. For example, if you have active gum disease, we suggest you resolve your gum disease before you get implants. If you don’t have enough bone at the planned implant site, we might want to perform a bone graft before placing your implants. If you are a smoker, we recommend that you quit. At a minimum, you should quit for a few months before and a few months after surgery. This will help your bones heal and reduce your risk of implant failure.
Talk to your doctor about your medications, as some can impact your success rate. Antidepressants are a common medication that can affect your dental implants. A good healthy diet can also improve your success rate.
The Dental Implant Process
The dental implant process starts with a consultation and dental exam. You’ll meet with Dr. James Green or Dr. Dustin Van Tassell, and they’ll assess your oral health, ensuring you’re a good candidate for dental implants.
They will assess your oral health, bone health, bone density, and more. They’ll let you know if you need additional treatments before getting dental implants or if you can get them immediately.
If you need additional treatments, your dentist will perform them before scheduling your implant surgery. The most common additional treatments are gum disease treatment and bone grafts. Gum disease is a common cause of tooth loss, and it’s a threat to your dental implants. A bone graft can help increase your bones’ size and/or density to help them anchor your dental implants. Your dentist can normally extract damaged or unhealthy teeth during implant surgery, but sometimes we might recommend getting it earlier.
Next, you’ll get dental implant surgery. Our advanced technology, including the PlanMeca ProMax 3D CT scanner, helps make implant surgery quick and accurate with minimal discomfort. Often, you can walk out of our office with provisional replacement teeth the same day as your dental implant surgery.
Over four to six months, your body will repair bone around your dental implants. Your dentist will assess this healing process. When it’s complete, you’ll get your final dental restorations. If you have provisional restorations, trading out one restoration for the other is just a matter of trading out one restoration. You might need additional surgery if you didn’t get restorations right away.
Get Dental Implants in Wichita Falls
At StarImage Dentistry, our dentists have extensive experience and training in placing and restoring dental implants. Dr. James Green and Dr. Dustin Van Tassell are LVI Fellows, and they have helped many Wichita Falls patients enjoy a restored smile thanks to dental implants.
Do you want to learn whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants? Please call 940-322-2252 or contact us today for an appointment with an implant dentist at StarImage Dentistry in Wichita Falls, TX.
