How Do Dental Implants Function?
Dental implants are an attractive tooth replacement choice due to their permanent and reliable anchor for artificial teeth – unlike dentures which slip and slide around. Implants provide long-lasting stability.
To be eligible for dental implants, you must have enough bone and excellent oral health. Furthermore, practicing proper oral hygiene habits is essential to guarantee the long-term success of the procedure.
What to Expect
When a tooth is missing, the surrounding teeth can shift and take over its space. You may experience changes in your bite and speech as a result. Replacing the missing tooth prevents this from occurring.
The process of placing a dental implant varies for each patient, but generally takes several months as the implant must integrate with your jawbone and heal afterwards.
At Little Italy Dentistry, we begin by creating a custom treatment plan after performing an extensive examination and assessment of your oral health needs. Additionally, we discuss any concerns or desired outcomes with you.
Implants are performed in several steps. The initial step involves attaching the implant or titanium post. A cut is made to open up the gum and access bone, and then the dental implant is embedded deeply into this bone.
Once the jawbone heals and the implant has fully integrated with your jawbone (usually taking 6-12 weeks), then an abutment can be attached.
At your next visit, the abutment connects the implant to a replacement tooth. We attach it to the implant during surgery and wait for healing – typically taking up to two weeks.
Once your gums have healed, impressions of your teeth and bite are taken to create an artificial tooth or teeth.
You may experience pain and swelling in the treatment area, but these should only be temporary effects. Additionally, you may need medications to keep yourself comfortable during the procedure.
Receiving dental implants can be a rewarding experience for all patients. We strive to make this process as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.
Advantages of dental implants
- Dental implants offer you a natural-looking replacement tooth that functions and looks just like your natural tooth – it’s hard to tell the difference!
- Prevents bone loss. Leaving empty spaces between teeth can cause the jawbone to deteriorate, but dental implants stimulate the jawbone and prevent this deterioration.
- With proper care and discipline, a dental implant can last a lifetime. It’s non-toxic so your body doesn’t reject it, plus it’s easy to maintain.
- Maintains facial structure. Without teeth, cheeks may appear sunken and make you appear older than you actually are. Replacing missing teeth with implants restores and maintains the shape of your face for a youthful look.
- Implants prevent adjacent teeth from shifting. Without teeth, adjacent teeth may shift and fill in the empty space left by missing ones, throwing your bite off balance and leading to discomfort when eating or chewing food. Implants prevent this from happening.
- Increases speech abilities. Missing teeth can impact your ability to pronounce sounds and words clearly, so implants can help enhance communication.
Are you interested in receiving dental implants in Little Italy, Toronto? Look no further than Little Italy Dentistry to book your visit and experience how dental implants can enhance your quality of life. We look forward to demonstrating how dental implants can transform your smile!
Implants may be more expensive in the short term, but they provide numerous advantages that other tooth replacement options cannot. Let’s find out if implants are right for you!