Types of Dental Implants:

Dental implants are categorized on the number of stages the procedure has. The two main categories are single and two-stage implants.

Endosteal

Being the most common kind of two-stage implant, endosteal is used in the majority of applications of dental implants. Screw-shaped placeholder posts are drilled deep into your jawbone. The process is straightforward but it does take plenty of time to heal. Once fused with the gum, false teeth are installed onto it.

Subperiosteal

Some patients aren’t a fan of the idea of drilling into their jaw. So, they can try out this single-stage alternative to endosteal implants. The main difference is that instead of drilling the implant into your bone, it is placed on top of your jaw. With a post, a tiny metal frame is attached to your gum, healing and bonding the two together. Then, the false tooth can be attached which is supported by the posts from the gum. This method is used for people who don’t have enough jawbone or choose not to go through an intensive oral surgery.

Benefits:

People who have lost a tooth often feel self-conscious while smiling or talking. Additionally, it causes biting irregularities and difficulty chewing, eventually leading to secondary health problems such as malnutrition. We help you get rid of all these potential issues with our painless procedure of implants. More of its benefits are:

• Restores cosmetic appearance
• Prevents bone loss
• Helps keep the jawbone from shrinking
• Preserves the health of the surrounding bone and gums
• Helps keep other teeth stable
• Improves overall quality of life

Placing Your Implants – The Procedure

To start off, our team of professionals creates a targeted treatment plan according to the patient’s specific needs. This team consists of experts in oral surgery and restorative dentistry; hence, their coordinated care approach will provide you with an effective treatment. Although the dental implant procedure is carried out in a single sitting, it’s the preparation and healing of the jaw that utilizes the most time.

A dental implant and its restoration compose of two things- a titanium screw-like structure and the crown. First, a small hole is drilled into the jaw site to guide the titanium implant fixture in place. Here, our dentists’ years of experience and proficiency come in, as it is an intricate procedure. Once in place, osseointegration takes up to 6-12 weeks before we can proceed. Osseointegration refers to the healing process that anchors the implant to the jaw bone.

Once healed and secure, your dentist will uncover the implant and fix a small connector post called an abutment. This holds the fake tooth (crown) on the top. Initially, a temporary crown may be attached to allow the gum to grow around it. The dental implant procedure is completed once the temporary crown is replaced by a permanent one.

Healing from this surgical procedure can take up to 6 months. During this time, you might experience minor discomfort. Therefore, painkillers are often prescribed to help minimize it.

Aftercare

Tooth implant aftercare is pretty much the same as for your real teeth. Taking care of basic oral hygiene (flossing and brushing regularly) is crucial. Otherwise, an infection can breed in the surrounding areas of the implant, increasing the risk factor. Similarly, smoking is also attributed to high failure rates and should also be avoided following the procedure.