How do Dental Implants Work:
A dental implant is an artificial tooth root, a titanium or metal free zirconia root form that an implant specialist places into the jaw in order to replace a missing or bad tooth.
The Best Way to replace a tooth is with a Dental Implant.
- Dental implant placement aka. Dental implant surgery.
- Placements of a connector called an abutment and a crown, bridge or denture (depending on how many teeth are being replaced).
During a first appointment, a titanium or zirconia implant is placed into the patient’s jaw. After that it’s necessary to wait a few weeks, as the patient’s bone grows in around the dental implant or new root. Once we’re sure that the dental implant has healed, aka “integrated”, during a second appointment, we replace the visible portion of the tooth with a permanent, ceramic crown. Or in the case of an implant bridge, there would be multiple implants and teeth secured by the implants.
What are the advantages of Implants?
- Permanent replacement for lost teeth. Implants should perform a lifetime. Look like teeth, feel like teeth and chew like teeth. Patients experience function similar to that of natural teeth.
- No bone loss. Removing teeth causes bone loss and sunken faces unless replaced with implants.
- Better chewing function means better diet and health. Patients who cannot chew food properly get constipated and do not get proper nutrients from food.
- Implants do not decay, get cavities or ever need root canals.
- very biocompatible. People do not react to implants they way they can to other dental materials.
- Implants rarely get infected and are not susceptible to gum disease like natural teeth
- dental implants do not require demolition of other teeth and are not connected to other natural teeth like natural tooth bridges.
Do Dental Implants hurt?
Dental implant surgery may cause very mild post-operative pain, but we rarely get many complaints about pain from implant surgery. Sometimes dental anxiety will cause a patient to need sedation for implant surgery, but it is not necessary for the procedure.
Does Dental Insurance pay for Dental Implants?
If you have dental implant coverage, yes. Dental implant insurance, however, is not included as part of every dental insurance plan. Even if your dental insurance plan does not cover dental implants, it might still be possible to get some reimbursement for dental implant expenses.
Many insurance policies exclude the surgical costs of dental implant placement but may cover some of the costs associated with the restorative phase. In this case the dental insurance will provide reimbursement for restoring the dental implant with a crown in a manner similar to that in which natural teeth are restored.
Can a full mouth of teeth be replaced in a day by Dental Implants?
Traditional Dentures used to be the only option for patients who needed to replace all of their teeth. That’s not the case any more: Dental Implants can now be used to give you a new set of teeth that’s both permanent and beautiful.
Our dentists use six or more dental implants in order to securely anchor a full set of upper or lower teeth. And yes, this can all be done in a single visit at our implant office. This procedure can be done with or without sedation. A full mouth of implants can also be done with metal free zirconia dental implants too. Zirconia ceramic implants are tooth colored and do not conduct electricity.
Dentures are still an option that many patients choose. Traditional dentures sometimes had issues: They weren’t always comfortable and they didn’t always stay in place. Some denture wearers were afraid to smile, and couldn’t always eat their favorite foods. Implant-supported dentures or implant dentures have solved those problems. These removable dentures are securely held in place with a series of dental implants. they are much more secure than traditional dentures from years ago. The secure fit also means that the seam between gums and dentures remains hidden. You won’t be afraid to smile, in other words. While full-mouth dental implants are preferred by many patients, implant-supported implant denture scan be a cost effective solution in many cases.
So this should answer, What is a dental implant?