Dental implant surgery means that an oral surgeon or periodontist places permanently fused artificial teeth in the jawbone through an operation. Decades ago, if you lost a tooth, your options were fixed bridges or removable dentures. Fixed bridges rely on healthy teeth as anchors, which can negatively affect them. Also, when you speak, the removable denture can slip or make an embarrassing click. Dental implants made of titanium fuse with the jaw and are the root of missing teeth.
Unlike fixed bridges, which may need to be replaced two or three times in a lifetime, implants are very durable and rarely need to be replaced. So, if you are looking to fix your broken teeth, you can always opt for dental implants in Canberra.
Advantages of Dental Implants
There are several advantages of having dental implants and include the following factors.
They look great. Aesthetically, dental implants are superior to dentures and bridges because they remain intact and look like real teeth. You might even forget about losing a tooth!
They can save adjacent teeth. Since implants do not need to be anchored to adjacent teeth, they can protect the overall integrity of your healthy teeth. There are no other healthy teeth with cavities.
Treatment Plan
You will work closely with your dental team to develop a treatment plan. Before continuing with this procedure, your provider will consider the number of teeth that need to be replaced and the condition of the jaw. After the procedure is complete, you will be instructed on how to care for your dental implants. The method is basically the same as for normal teeth – you need to brush and floss to prevent plaque and cavities! It is important to note that dental implant involves multiple surgical procedures, which in total take three to nine months or more. This is a long journey, but most of the time it is to heal and allow new bones to grow in the jaw.
The specific steps are as follows:
- The dental implant cylinder is placed in your jaw
- You will have a recovery period of several months.
- After healing, the abutment is placed and then the prosthesis or crown is implanted.
Pain Management
During the operation, you will be anesthetized. This can include local or general anesthesia or sedation. Your provider will discuss the best option for you. After the operation, you need to make sure someone drives you home.
Thanks to the use of anaesthetics, you will not feel any pain during the incision of the gum or implantation of the implant in the jaw. Fortunately, there are no nerves in the jaw to indicate pain. The most you will experience is a feeling of pressure or even a tingling sensation.
If you have total dental implant surgery, you will sleep soundly under general anaesthesia. You will not feel pain or notice the operation. At the end of the operation, you will also receive a local anaesthetic to numb your mouth when you wake up and rest.
Any pain after the operation is usually easy to control. Your surgeon will recommend that you take over-the-counter pain relievers, but some patients report that they don’t need them. Most dental implant patients describe postoperative pain less than pain from tooth extraction. If you experience significant pain after 72 hours, you should seek medical attention or arrange a follow-up dental office visit.
Can Dental Implants be Done in a Single Day?
The length of the process for a single dental implant is different for many implants. In the event of tooth failure, a bone graft is required to increase density in the underlying bone before the implant can be placed. The healing time for bone grafts is usually 4 to 6 months. Once the bone graft has healed, the implant can be placed. However, the crown is not usually placed on the same day.
The implant must first undergo a process of osseointegration (fusion with the maxilla), which can take 3 to 6 months. If a crown is installed on the implant during this period, chewing and brushing can put too much pressure on the implant and cause it to move. This can lead to tilting of the implant, displacement of the surrounding teeth, and even implant failure. Therefore, it is best to wait until the osseointegration process is mature before placing the crown.
That was all about dental implants and why it is a great idea to get a dental implant done. They look and feel natural, and gives you the confidence in your smile that you always wanted to have. If you are looking for qualified and experienced dentists for dental implants in Canberra, you can always turn to us for the best treatment and services.
