In recent years, dental implants have become increasingly popular. Have you ever stopped to think why? If so many people are adopting this technique, does that mean it’s a good solution for tooth loss? Continue reading and discover the differences between the before and after of a life with dental implants.
How do dental implants function?
Dental implants are made of titanium, which is a biocompatible material. This means that after being placed in the jawbone, they “fuse” to the bone – this process is called osseointegration. In other words, it’s as if the dental implant has become part of our body! They are placed surgically, but there’s no need to be afraid of pain, because a local anaesthetic is administered, which makes everything easier for the patient.
Can a dental implant be rejected?
Many people worry that their body will reject a dental implant. The truth is that, because it is made from a biocompatible material, there is no rejection from the body. But to ensure that the osseointegration process actually takes place without any unpleasant surprises, it is important to take into account all the indications given by the dentist. If the patient doesn’t take proper care during the recovery period, it could jeopardise all the work done in the surgery!
A dental implant for every missing tooth?
Many people think that it’s a very complicated and expensive process to carry out oral rehabilitation when they have several missing teeth. This is because they think that for every missing tooth, a dental implant has to be placed. But this is not true. When we’re talking about replacing a single tooth, we do need a dental implant. But if a patient has, for example, all the teeth in an arch (jaw) missing, only 4 dental implants are placed, which will support a fixed prosthesis. Furthermore, this fixed prosthesis contains all the teeth in that arch, so there is no need to place a dental implant for each tooth.
Before and after dental implants
We’re not exaggerating when we say that dental implants transform the lives of those who adopt this solution and that they have immense advantages. To be clear, let’s compare the experience before and after dental implants:
- Diet — by recovering your teeth, you can eat properly again. Even foods that you couldn’t chew when your teeth were damaged. And for those who had removable dentures, the experience changes completely. There’s no longer any fear of dropping them when you eat;
- Toothache — when diseased teeth are removed, the pain stops;
- Appearance – missing teeth slim down the face, making you look older. This is why dental implants restore a more youthful and cared-for appearance;
- Communication — with missing teeth, it can sometimes be difficult to communicate with other people, because it’s not always easy to speak correctly and understandably;
- Socialising — having beautiful, well-kept teeth automatically makes you feel at ease around other people, talking without embarrassment or fear;
- Tooth decay — oral hygiene care when you have dental implants is still extremely important. But it’s certain that you won’t get caries lesions again, which only develop in natural teeth;
- Bone loss — when we lose permanent teeth, a natural process takes place which consists of the resorption of the jawbone by the body itself, as the tooth root no longer provides the necessary support for the bone. With the placement of dental implants, this process is stopped because they take the place of natural tooth roots;
- Smiling — the best thing is that you feel happy again and want to share that joy with others, and so you smile a lot more! For all these reasons and more, dental implants are an excellent alternative to missing teeth. And now that you’ve learnt a lot about dental implants, all that’s left to do is take the next step towards your new smile: book an oral assessment appointment so you can smile again as soon as possible!
For all these reasons and more, dental implants are an excellent alternative for missing teeth.
And now that you have all the most relevant information about dental implants, all that’s left to do is take the next step towards your new smile: book an oral assessment appointment, so you can smile again as soon as possible!
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