At any age, you may find yourself lacking teeth. A sporting accident, blunt force trauma or even genetic problems can result in your smile marred by vacant gaps. In the past, dentistry could do little to address the issue except provide you with false teeth. Today, an implant dentist can bring your smile back permanently.
Dental Implants: The Components
Dental implants consist of small devices that allow a dentist to replace your fractured, misaligned or broken teeth. The procedure entails the employment of two major components:
- Prosthetic crowns – Naturally looking replacement teeth: usually of porcelain
- Medical-grade titanium posts
This is a cosmetic procedure and requires a qualified and skilled dentist to ensure everything proceeds correctly.
The Process
The implant dentist will first x-ray your jawline to see if the bone is capable of supporting the insertion of the posts or implants. Since the success of the process relies on the ability of the implants to act as anchors (root replacements) for the superstructure or crowns, it is essential the bone is durable and does not feature any structural weaknesses. If the dentist ascertains the job to be feasible, the following will occur:
- Insertion of the titanium or titanium alloy posts
- Checking to see if the posts are firmly in place
- Attachment of the prosthetic crown. This could take the form of a single tooth but is more frequently a bridge or other form of denture
The procedure does not take place over night. The dentist needs to ensure proper healing of the implant site. However, certain procedures do allow for an immediate, if temporary replacement, until permanent teeth are prepared and attached.
Implant Dentist
If you need to replace a single tooth or your entire set, today’s surgical techniques and technology make this possible. Talk to an implant dentist about whether this method is right for you. If it is, you will soon find yourself smiling at your future.
If you have any questions about the suitability of dental implants, contact Cascades Center for Dental Health at Cascadesdental.com. You can also connect them on Facebook for more updates.
