Getting Dental Implants

As you get older, it's never assured that you will keep all of your teeth. When you age, your teeth age with you, and sometimes lose their effectiveness or fall out on their own. It's not uncommon to have to get some form of artificial teeth. There are full sets of dentures that are common, and there are partial sets of artificial teeth available as well. What is best for you should be decided between you and your dentist or doctor. Something that you might want to consider is getting dental implants.

Dental implants are single artificial teeth that are implanted into the mouth. They are aimed at resembling a single tooth or a group of teeth. Dental implants are a restorative type of prosthetic dentistry that work to replace old teeth with new fake ones. One of the discoveries paramount to dental implants is the breakthrough that titanium can be actually fused into bone. Thus, the implant and the bone and gum become connected, rather than the prosthetic being a separate part.

Getting dental implants is usually an outpatient surgery with the patient having a general, or sometimes even local, anesthesia. The site of the implant is simply drilled and the then the implant is installed. It takes a few weeks (or sometimes even months) for the patient to be able to chew regularly; it wouldn't be good at all if the new teeth fell out. The procedure is typically done in a few different steps, performed at different times, usually over the course of a few months. So, if you're looking into getting dental implants, know that you might be in for a long haul.

If you're going to get dental implants, then the doctors will have to make sure that there is enough bone in your jaw, and that the bone is strong enough to support the new implant. The tissues and gums surrounding the implant site also need to be in good condition. This naturally makes sense because if the rest of the mouth isn't healthy, then any other form of implant wouldn't be such a good idea. You need to consult with your doctor and dentist before entering into such a procedure. Dental implants can really help the look of your teeth, especially when you only have a few teeth that are defected. If you can get dental implants and your mouth is healthy, then dental implants can greatly benefit you.