Although the entire process may take several months to be completed, dental implant surgery is actually quite simple. The procedure replaces a missing tooth with an artificial tooth that looks, feels and performs every bit as good as the tooth it replaces. A titanium screw is embedded directly into the jaw bone; this acts as a replacement tooth root. On top of the implant goes an abutment which holds a crown.
Dental implants – procedure and benefits
There is no one procedure, it depends on the condition of the patients jaw bone and the type of implant. The only common denominator is the fact that procedure takes place over time and involves several different procedures.
The primary benefit of dental implants is solid support for replacement teeth. This takes time as the implant, which is a titanium “screw,” must fuse solidly with the jaw bone. The procedure often takes several months; the majority of the time is dedicated to growing new bone around the implant. The basic procedure for performing a dental implant is:
- If there is a damaged tooth, it must first be extracted
- If there is insufficient bone to support the implant it may be necessary to undergo a bone graft
- When the jaw bone is ready the implant is placed in a small hole that has been drilled in the jaw bone
- After a period of healing an abutment is placed on the implant, on top of that the new tooth is fixed
The benefits of dental implants:
Dental implants are the “gold standard” when it comes to replacing teeth or supporting a full denture, why is that? Dental implants are a long term solution, they are the next best thing to natural teeth and you can look forward to living a worry free life where you can speak, eat and laugh normally.
