What Are Dental Implants?
Hillsboro, OR
 Dental implants represent the cutting edge of restorative dentistry and are some of the most important innovations to come along in dentistry in the last 50 years. If you are missing one tooth or many teeth, dental implants are something you need to consider. Here is some information from Beaverton Oral Surgeons about how amazing and versatile dental implants are.
What Is So Special About Dental Implants?
There are several reasons dental implants represent the future of tooth replacement. One of the best reasons our dentists have for using dental implants is that they represent the closest thing there is to getting a fresh new tooth in your tooth socket. Dental implants mimic the look and feel of your natural tooth. Instead of a tooth root, dental implants have a metal screw. The metal screws implant into your jaw.
Dentists have a choice of using either titanium screws or zirconium screws. Many dentists use titanium, which is a silver metal, because it is both strong and lightweight and does not corrode easily. Zirconium is a great alternative choice many dentists use because it is not metal, so people with metal allergies can have zirconium implants without having an allergic reaction.
Along with the screw that mimics your tooth root, implants include a connector called an abutment, which is usually made of either titanium or zirconium. The abutment joins your prosthetic tooth and the dental screw. Most prosthetic teeth for implants are made of porcelain or ceramic. Dental screws can last a lifetime, but the prosthetic crown of your tooth may need to be replaced after a couple of decades.
Dental implants decrease the chances you will lose blood flow in your gums as well as bone mass from your jawbone. Your body is constantly recycling material, including bone mass. If your body thinks you are not using the bone tissue, it will remove it from your jawbone and use it somewhere else. This can lead to deterioration of your jawbone over time.
If you have dental implants, you do not have to worry about removing your bridge or dentures at night to sleep. Dental implants look more natural than dentures, and once they are implanted, they should last decades.
What Are Single-Tooth Dental Implants?
Single-tooth dental implants mean that our dentists are implanting a single tooth in one location due to tooth loss. However, dentists can also perform a single-tooth dental implant multiple times throughout your mouth. For example, you may be missing your upper first molar on one side and your upper second molar on the other side of your jaw. Because these teeth are not directly opposite each other, a dentist cannot use a bridge. If these two teeth are the only ones you have missing, this is the perfect time for a dentist to do two single-tooth dental implants.
Dentists have a specific procedure for single-tooth dental implants. The first step in the implant procedure is for the dentist to make an incision in your gums so they can reach your jawbone. Once they can see the jawbone, dentists can then drill a hole into your jawbone to place the screw. Then, our dentist will close the incision and allow the jawbone to heal. Your body will produce new jawbone tissue to repair the hole in your jaw. The new bone tissue will grow up around the newly implanted screw, which helps to strengthen the implant. It will take between three and six months for the implanted screw to heal properly.
After the implanted screw has healed, our dentists will place the abutment to connect your dental screw to the prosthetic tooth. Usually, it takes about one to two weeks for the abutment procedure to heal. The final step is for our dentist to place the prosthetic crown on top of the abutment.
What If I Am Missing Multiple Teeth In The Same Area?
If you are missing several teeth in the same location within your jaw, you may be the perfect candidate for a multiple-tooth implant. In general, multiple-tooth dental implants allow our dentists to replace several missing teeth using between two and four dental screws and a prosthetic bridge. With multiple-tooth dental implants, dentists may even be able to replace all of your teeth in either your upper or lower jaw.
The procedure for multiple-tooth implants is much the same as the procedure for single-tooth dental implants. Our dentists will make an incision to access your jawbone, and then they can implant the dental screws after drilling holes into your jawbone. As with single-tooth implants, multiple-tooth implanted screws need time to heal and for your jawbone to grow around the implanted screws. After your jawbone heals, our dentists can then place your abutments and, finally, your prosthetic bridge with your new teeth.
Whether you are thinking about getting single-tooth implants or multiple-tooth implants, you will need to make sure you are taking care of them. Be sure to ask our dentists what they recommend for caring for tooth implants, such as toothbrushes, kinds of toothpaste, and the type of floss you should use. If you care for your implants, they can last you for the rest of your life.
Should I Get Dental Implants?
Dental implants are not for everyone. If you have an underlying illness, such as diabetes or heart disease, you will need to speak to our dentists before you think about having implant surgery. In addition to chronic underlying illness, you may not be a good candidate for implants if you have active gum disease. Many dentists recommend that you treat your gum disease first because gum disease can cause the rejection of the implant. Also, if you have serious gum disease, you may not have enough bone in your jaw to hold an implant screw.
Also, if you use tobacco, many dentists recommend that you stop smoking, vaping, or chewing before you think about having implant surgery. The nicotine in tobacco can complicate your implant procedure because it restricts the blood flow to your gums and also because the chemical makes your mouth drier than normal, which allows bacteria to grow and spread.
If you want more information about dental implants or the benefits of dental implants, we can help. Contact Beaverton Oral Surgeons at (503) 646-7101 today for more information. |
