People with missing or damaged teeth experience several problems, including self-consciousness about their smile, poor eating habits due to chewing difficulties, a sunken face from bone resorption, and low self-esteem. There are several tooth restoration options to fix or prevent these complications, including dentures, bridges, and dental implants. If you are considering restoring your teeth’s functionality and natural appearance, you may be wondering which restoration options suit you best. What is the cost of treatment? And how do you select an appropriate treatment?

A popular treatment many dentists recommend is dental implants, which offer many benefits over conventional restorations. Before settling on the procedure, you should consult your dental professional to explain every detail of the treatment, including the meaning of dental implants, implant types, candidacy, what to expect during the actual treatment, recovery, and risks, so that you can make an informed decision and avoid any worries you might have at the start of the procedure.

Overview of Dental Implants

Dental implants are a revolutionary restorative dentistry solution, highly recommended for replacing missing teeth. While there are multiple alternatives to treatment, such as removable dentures that rest on the gum margins, implants stand out for their components. One crucial component of the treatment is the titanium screw or post, which is implanted into your jawbone to act as a substitute for the missing tooth root. The implant fuses with the living bone through osseointegration, providing a solid and comfortable foundation for the restoration.

After fusion, the artificial tooth root is connected to the prosthetic via a connector or abutment. The abutment is the link between the artificial root and the restoration. These components form a tooth restoration that looks and functions like a normal tooth, restoring your confidence, chewing habits, facial structure, and a flawless smile. You can use an implant to replace one or multiple missing teeth using a restoration of your choice, such as a denture, dental crown, or bridge.

Dental Implants vs Removable Dentures

Why not choose a denture for your missing tooth? While a denture can be suitable for replacing your missing or loose tooth, it poses many challenges that make it a less preferred option for many dentists and patients. Conventional dentures are placed on the gum margins and are cemented using a special adhesive once the dental expert achieves a perfect fit. The lack of a stable foundation makes dentures wobbly when they do not fit well. Friction can cause discomfort, while constant sleep deprivation can interfere with your eating habits and speech. Also, because they are not anchored on the jawbone, they do not provide any stimulation, resulting in jawbone shrinkage, which gives you a sunken face.

On the other hand, dental implants are surgically placed on the jawbone and given time to integrate, becoming part of your body. Unlike dentures, they are permanent and stable, do not slide, and function and look like natural teeth, eliminating eating and speech problems.

In terms of longevity, implants can last over 50 years with proper care. If you are in your 20s or 30s, 50 years is a lifetime without requiring replacement. So, even if you can pay less for a denture initially, it may only last up to 7 years and is more prone to damage because it is removable. This means you will need more replacements, which will increase the cost of this traditional method in the long run. Additionally, the slippage makes these restorations less functional, leaving you with dental implants as the superior tooth restoration option.

Dental Implant Types

Every patient looking for a restorative dentistry solution has unique cosmetic needs. Therefore, implant manufacturers tailor these restorations to meet each patient's unique needs. So, during your preliminary consultation with the dental expert, you should inquire about the available dental implant options so that you select the one that suits you best.

Historically, implants are classified as follows:

Endosteal Implants

Endosseal implants are titanium screws that are surgically implanted in the living jawbone to substitute natural tooth roots. These are the most common implants and can anchor any form of restoration. These implants fuse with the jawbone, providing immense stability and sturdiness, like the natural tooth root. So, you need a healthy jawbone mass and density for the treatment.

Subperiosteal Implants

If your bone is not strong enough to support an endosteal implant and allow osseointegration, your dentist can still recommend a subperiosteal implant. These are not directly implanted into the jawbone. Instead, they are positioned under a mucosal flap that forms the gingival tissue. When you start healing, the gum tissue covering the metal frame begins to heal around it, bonding the implant with the bone. Patients who want to avoid the lengthy osseointegration process or who lack sufficient jawbone density and do not want a bone graft can opt for these implants. However, they have a low success rate, so dentists rarely recommend them to patients.

Dental implants are primarily used to replace missing teeth, though they can also complement other restorative solutions, such as implant-supported dentures.

Dental Implant Benefits

If your dental expert has recommended implants to replace missing teeth or complement another restoration technique, it is okay to ask why. Why not suggest dentures or dental bridges? Dental implants provide multiple advantages over traditional restorations, including:

  1. Better Chewing Capability

Dental implants integrate with your living jawbone, forming part of your body. They are the perfect substitutes for natural tooth roots because they are sturdy and stable. The stability eliminates food restrictions, meaning you can enjoy all foods without discomfort or fear that the restoration will dislodge. The wide variety of foods supports a balanced diet and improves overall health.

  1. Improved Speech

Loss of teeth, especially the front upper teeth, can impair your speech. It makes it difficult to pronounce certain words, which can affect your career, especially if your job involves public speaking. The use of dentures, which are tooth replacements, also impairs your pronunciation. You need to train yourself to pronounce certain words before you can regain your speech. Dental implants give you a better speaking ability because they feel like natural teeth, meaning your mouth does not need time to adapt to them. With these restorations, your ability to speak clearly is restored immediately. You do not need speech training to regain your ability to talk.

  1. Implants are More Comfortable

The ability of dental implants to fuse with the jawbone provides a stable foundation for your restoration. You do not have to deal with irritation from wobbly dentures. Also, you are comfortable when speaking or eating because you do not have to worry about the restoration slipping out of your mouth.

  1. Improved Oral Hygiene and Low Maintenance

Implants feel and function like natural teeth, meaning that the oral hygiene you need is like that of natural teeth. You do not have to make modifications to your routine. You brush, floss, and rinse them like natural teeth, making maintenance easy. This is unlike dental bridges, which make it difficult to reach certain tooth surfaces when brushing, increasing the risk of debris and plaque buildup. Additionally, restorations such as removable dentures require you to remove and clean them carefully, which can be challenging for many.

  1. Prevent Jawbone Loss

Dental bridges and dentures do not stimulate the jawbone. So, even when you replace missing teeth with these options, you still experience jawbone shrinkage and a change in facial structure. However, when you receive implants, they integrate with the bone. Every time you chew, the force of chewing stimulates the jawbone, helping it maintain its density. If your body has resorbed the jawbone, stimulation reminds it that the jawbone is crucial, prompting new bone to form. If your face has already sunk due to bone shrinkage, the normal structure is restored, enhancing your appearance.

  1. Better Longevity

Implants are highly durable, lasting up to fifty years, which to some people is a lifetime. Crowns and bridges can only last up to 15 years, while dentures last for seven years. When you undergo a dental implant procedure, you might not need a replacement for the rest of your life, depending on how you care for them. In the long run, you save money that could have gone into replacing the restoration.

Dental Implants Candidacy

Not everyone with missing teeth is a candidate for dental implants. You will require a consultation with your dental professional so that they can evaluate your teeth, gums, and jawbone to determine if you are a candidate for the procedure. A consultation usually involves a physical examination of your mouth, along with CT scans and X-rays, to determine whether your jawbone is of good quality and sufficient to anchor the implant.

The dentist will advise you on the appropriate treatment based on the condition of your teeth. Some decayed teeth can be saved with a root canal treatment, avoiding the need for extraction and an implant. However, if your dentist suggests you undergo a root canal, you must ask about the cost of treatment and the durability of the treatment. If you have undergone root canal treatment several times but the treatment keeps failing, it is time to extract the tooth and replace it with a restoration of your choice.

If the dentist recommends dental implants after an evaluation, the issue of candidacy will arise. Are implants suitable for you? The dentist will ask several questions regarding your health, including:

  • Are you a smoker? If you smoke, it could interfere with osseointegration by slowing down healing and increasing the risk of implant failure. You will need to quit before the treatment continues.
  • Do you suffer from a chronic illness, such as HIV, diabetes, or a heart condition, or have recently undergone radiotherapy in the head or neck? Chronic illnesses significantly increase the risk of infection after surgery, so that the dentist may recommend alternatives, such as dentures or bridges.

Answer the dentist’s questions honestly to avoid misinformation that could increase the risk of treatment failure.

If an examination shows you have an oral concern, such as gum disease that could interfere with treatment, the dentist will address the problem first before you can continue with the implant treatment.

Bone Grafting

If you have a low-quality and low-quantity jawbone, the risk of implant failure is high. However, this should not mean that you should entirely forgo the treatment. You can postpone it while you undergo bone graft treatment. Here, the dentist surgically adjoins a donor bone or synthetic bone to the living, low-quality bone to increase its density. Once the site heals, the bone regains its normal mass and density. The dentist can only continue with the dental implant process if they ascertain that the bone graft has restored the health of your jawbone.

Expectations in a Dental Implant Procedure

During the actual treatment, the surgeon will:

  • Administer a local anesthetic to numb the jaw and mouth so that you do not feel pain
  • Make an incision to expose the jawbone
  • Drill a hole in the jawbone
  • Place the implant in the jaw
  • Close the cut on the gums using stitches

The dentist will give you three to six months for osseointegration to happen. After healing, you will return for the placement of the connector and final restoration.

Recovery and Outlook

The healing phase of the treatment is equally essential to the procedure's success. The first phase of recovery begins after the first week, when the slight inflammation of the gums and face subsides. The slight bleeding also stops after 24 to 48 hours. From here, you must wait 3 to 9 months for the implant to integrate with the bone. After full recovery and restoration placement, implants can last a lifetime.

Risks and Complications

The high success rate of dental implants makes them safe and effective restorative solutions. However, the procedure, just like any other surgery, has its risks and complications. The common complications include:

  • Nerve damage, which can be avoided by planning treatment using CT scans
  • Surgical site infection, characterized by pus formation, throbbing pain, and inflammation in the implant site.
  • Implant failure due to failed osseointegration
  • Sinus issues occur when the implant penetrates the sinus during tooth replacement in the upper jaw.

Find a Reputable Advanced Dentistry Service Near Me

Missing teeth impair the appearance and functionality of your natural teeth. Tooth loss makes it difficult to maintain eating habits, leading to malnutrition. Additionally, it causes jawbone resorption, which contributes to a sunken facial appearance. You become self-conscious about your smile and appearance, and your confidence dips.

Dental implants are a game-changer, as they provide you with a permanent, natural-looking, and functional restoration. If you are considering implants for their many benefits, consult with an experienced dentist to determine your candidacy and understand what to expect. At Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry, we offer the latest dental implant innovations for streamlined treatment. Call us today at 310-361-2080 to ask questions and discuss available tooth-restoration options.