What Are Dental Implants? A Brief Guide

According to some studies, most people have lost around 12 teeth by the age of 50. And, while there are ways to work around this problem with proper prevention or orthodontics, many people have to turn to dental implants in the end. A dental implant procedure can replace missing teeth and restore function to a mouth.

But, exactly what are dental implants? Technically speaking, they’re implants that sit inside bone and provide a structure for future placement of crowns. In essence, they replace the root that was lost with the upper part of the missing tooth.

Dental implant surgery is one of the best ways to bring back function, regardless of what part of the mouth needs the new piece. Implants are simple in design, but there’s a lot more that goes into the procedure than you’d think. If you’re curious, you can find out more by reading ahead.

What Are Dental Implants

Dental implants are screws, usually composed of titanium, that are inserted into bone to provide a foundation for crowns. Of course, there are many variations that are used for different cases, where this example is known as the endosteal implant. The overall structure of an implant can change to match a patient with less bone density in the jaw or upper maxillary bone.

In most cases, dental implants are permanent. However, there are some that offer unique traits making it possible to remove them at will. One such example involves magnetic dentures. Here an implant is inserted with a magnetic part at the top that matches that of the dentures in question.

Sometimes a patient can’t receive a dental implant. That’s where subperiosteal implants come in. They have a metal frame that sits on the lingual and vestibular sides, providing a foundation that rests on bone, rather than in it.

The Dental Implant Procedure

Before starting the procedure for a dental implant, your dentist has to run a few diagnostics. They’ll usually check bone density, occlusion, and available space between teeth. This is essential, as you might need other dental work before getting an implant.

Jumping into the intervention, you can expect some discomfort that’s eased with local anesthetics. Most patients require two sessions for the implant process to finish, with a few months between each visit. The latter involves crown placement, and you’re done!

Getting Dental Implants

This is a general overview about what are dental implants and a quick look at what you can expect from the procedure. Dentists most commonly use endosteal implants for replacing a single missing tooth, and prefer the subperiosteal alternative for more situations involving various missing teeth. Overall, though, implants in and of themselves are quite simple in nature. Things get complicated when it’s time to diagnose and put them in.

Hopefully this article provided you with some useful information surrounding dental implants. If it did, make sure to peek around the rest of the site for more!