Nothing can affect your smile and bite than missing teeth. Not only that, but they also can damage your dental structure, especially if the surrounding teeth move to the available spaces.

Dental implants are a great way of fixing your smile, and here are a few facts about them:

1. Dental Implants Are Permanent

   Dental implants are made of three parts; titanium post, a connector, and a crown. The dentist fixes the dental implant into the jaw bone to act as a root for the artificial tooth. Unlike other orthodontic treatments, dental implants can last for a lifetime.

2. You Must Be a Candidate for the Procedure

   At Richmond Dental Clinic we assess you to find out if you are ideal for the procedure. To be eligible:

• You must be above 16 years’ old
• You to have enough dental density. If you don’t, the dentist will perform a bone graft to rebuild it
• Your gum and teeth must be healthy and free of disease or cavities
• You are not sensitive to metals like zinc, lead, copper, or nickel—they are used to coat the titanium posts
3. Dental Implant Surgery is a Process

The surgery is done in several steps:

Initial consultation
During your assessment, the dentist will check your dental condition, bone health, and density. An x-ray can be done to check if you have any infections.

Bone augmentation 
When you have a low bone density, the dentist will do a bone graft or sinus lift to build it. This process can take up to 12 months for the bone to fully grow and be ready for an implant.

Fixing the implant 
Our dentist will fix the titanium post into the jawbone. The surgical procedure will take one to two hours to complete.

The implant can either be endosteal or subperiosteal. Endosteal implants are fixed into the jawbone.

Subperiosteal posts, on the other hand, are fixed on the gum but above the bone. This surgery is ideal for people who don’t have enough bone but don’t want a bone graft.

Placement of the abutment 
The abutment is the connecting material between the crown and sometimes is placed on the same day as the implant if a bone graft is not done.

Fixing of the temporary crown 
Once the implant has fused to the bone, the dentist will give you a temporary crown as they make the permanent one.

On the final stage, the dentist will fix the permanent crown

4. Dental Implant Surgery Can Be Painful

   During the dental procedure, the dentist will give local anesthesia to numb the area. However, as the anesthesia wears off, you will feel a little discomfort. The pain will last for ten days and can be managed with home remedies such as:

   • Use medication
   • Apply ice and compression
   • Watch what you eat
   • Rest
   • Use saltwater

   If the tooth pain doesn’t subside and you have a fever, severe headache or gum infection, you need to come to our dental clinic immediately for assessment.

5. Dental Implant, though successful, can fail

   Dental implants have a 95% success rate, but even with that, they could fail. Several factors can affect the success of the implants and they include:

• Gum infection or disease
• Bruxism: the unconscious grinding and clenching to the teeth
• Loose implant due to bone loss
• Loose crown
• Rejection of the titanium implant. A dental implant may fail to fuse to the bone and the body will eventually reject it
• Nerve damage and bruising
• Bone burn from the drilling
6. You May Need Additional Restorative Appliances

   If you have multiple missing teeth, the dentist may recommend other treatments such as dental bridges or dentures—ideal for those who have all teeth missing. The implants make the dentures to fit better.

Summary

Dental implants are barely noticeable. At Richmond Dental, we use state-of-art technology, techniques, and material to create your dental implant. Additionally, these implants, if done correctly, will improve appearance and confidence.

So, are you ready to make a dental transformation? Contact our dental clinic for a dental checkup and a discussion on the different treatment plans. We accept new clients and offer customized dental treatments to meet your dental needs.