Dental implants have become the most popular tooth replacement option worldwide, due to their excellent durability, function, and aesthetics.
According to the American Dental Association, an implant is a screw-shaped or cylindrical fixture that is inserted into the jawbone to serve as a replacement tooth root for artificial teeth. Over time, the implant becomes fused with the surrounding bone tissue and offers a stable foundation for the attachment of the artificial teeth.
If you are interested in getting your missing teeth replaced with dental implants, but you’re not sure whether they are a suitable option for you, read on. This article explains everything you need to know about tooth replacement with dental implants.
What Is A Dental Implant Lifespan?
Dental implants are by far the most durable and long-lasting tooth replacement option currently available. According to the American Dental Association, dental implants can last for a lifetime if they are looked after properly through optimal oral hygiene maintenance. Research has also shown that the five-year success rate of dental implants is more than 98.5% – which is the highest among all the replacement options currently available for missing teeth.
Can Dental Implants Fallout?
When inserted by an experienced and qualified dentist, dental implants have an excellent success rate. However, implant failure can occur in some cases, especially when there is an underlying local or generalised bone pathology.
Dental implants can fail in extreme circumstances although this is why dentists wait a few months after implantation, to allow the implant to fully integrate into the bone. This ensures undisturbed and optimal healing of the implant surgical site.
How Are Dental Implants Made?
Dental implants are manufactured in large factories and industries that specialised in the fabrication of metallic prostheses. The majority of the dental implants nowadays are made from titanium alloys, which are known for their strength, durability and safety for use in the human body.
An implant is usually made in two pieces; the implant screw that is inserted within the bone and which serves as the artificial root, and the abutment that connects the implant with the crown or the artificial tooth.
These artificial teeth are then made by a highly skilled dental technician, this is the part of the implant that you see, the titanium section is hidden under the gum.
How Do One Day Dental Implants Work?
Normally, dentists wait for a few months before they attach a suitable prosthesis over the implant to replace the missing teeth. This is done to ensure the uninterrupted healing of the implant insertion site.
Once the implant has become firmly embedded within the bone, your dentist will load it with a suitable prosthesis.
However, in some cases, dentists may also choose to attach a prosthesis over the implant immediately after tooth extraction and implant insertion.
Such types of implants are known as immediate implants. It must be noted that not everyone is a suitable candidate for getting same-day or one-day dental implants.
How Long Do Implants Takes To Heal?
After inserting the implant inside the bone, your dentist will place a healing collar over it to promote healing. Over the next few months, bone tissue will start to develop around the implant.
This process, called osseointegration, will result in an intimate contact between the implant and the jawbone. As a result, the implant becomes firmly anchored within the bone and provides a solid foundation for the attachment of the artificial teeth. This process can take anywhere between eight weeks to six months, depending on your oral and physical health status.
Do Dental Implants Damage The Bone?
Unlike the removable dentures that damage the bone due to the constant pressure they exert, dental implants do not cause any bone damage. The implants are inserted into the bone just like the natural teeth. Instead, dental implants have a unique property known as osseoitegration, which promotes bone formation around them. As a result, dental implants, instead of causing bone resorption or damaged, promote healthy bone formation, making your jaws stronger and less prone to fracture.
Who Can’t Get Dental Implants?
According to the American Academy of Periodontology, any individual with good oral and physical health is a suitable candidate for getting implants.
However, not everyone may be a suitable implant candidate. For example, individuals who have severe gum disease cannot get implants unless the deficient bone has been replenished with a bone grafting procedure.
Similarly, individuals with medical history underlying bone pathologies or other chronic medical illnesses like hypertension and diabetes may not be suitable candidates for getting implants, unless they have undergone treatment.
During the initial consultation, your dentist will inform you whether dental implants are a suitable option for you. Once all the underlying problems have been treated, only then your dentist will proceed with the preparation of a treatment plan to replace your missing teeth with implants.
Who Can Get Dental Implants?
The most critical requirement for getting dental implants is good quality bone that can support, and anchor the implants. Therefore, an ideal implant candidate is one who has:
- good oral health
- is fit
- and free from any medical or dental illness.
However, even if you do not have sufficient bone in the jaw available to support an implant, no need to worry. Your dentist may be able to replenish the lost bone tissue with a bone graft procedure. This procedure involves taking a bone tissue from a human, animal or synthetic source, and placing it at the site where the bone tissue is insufficient. Over a weeks or months, the graft joins with the existing bone restores the optimal density and volume of the jawbone that is essential for implant placement.
Dental implants can truly change your life! Not only they allow you to eat and speak normally but also restore your facial aesthetics and self-esteem. If you are interested in getting implants in Dublin D4, don’t go anywhere other than Pembroke Dental Ballsbridge! Our dental clinic takes pride in having state-of-the-art dental equipment and a team of highly qualified and experienced dentists who will ensure that your implants look, function, and feel just like your own teeth!
So, what are you waiting for? Book a consultation appointment with us today and let us give you your dream smile with dental implants.
