Make it, even if you have to faux it

What is the first thing you think of when you hear, “Smile!”

Did your mind go to simply take a picture? Or did you immediately think, “Oh no! I don’t want to show my teeth!” Often, dental offices and their dentists get the blame for tooth pain or reporting bad news about our dental condition. We are here to change this way of thinking and instead begin to think of dental offices more as mouth and teeth personal trainers! Like we do our fitness trainers; we don’t think of them as agents of pain and diet ridicule, they’re here to guide us toward a healthier way of being. Similarly, Dentists are here to give us their expert advice and be in the corner so that we can maintain healthier teeth and believe it or not, visit them less often! The hope is to get to a place where we as individuals are taking the necessary steps to ensure we only need to see our dentists every six months as normally recommended.

We are also realists and we understand life happens and life must be enjoyed. As we enjoy our lives, accidents will occur, and nature often takes the course, settling in and sometimes changing the structure of our bodies. As we all know, we’re born without any teeth. Baby teeth grow in while we’re young and when we reach puberty, those teeth fall out, allowing our adult and permanent teeth to take their place.  During this major transformation, unexpected changes frequently take place, resulting in the need for dental implant surgery. Now if that scenery isn’t daunting enough, not having a clue what type of dental implants are available to you makes the situation even more difficult. We’re here to shed light on the best implant options available today and what the benefit of each surgery will bring.

Endosteal Dental Implants

Endosteal implants are the most used type of dental surgery which is done by implanting directly into the bone. Made up of screws, cylinders, and blades, Endosteal implants are usually shaped like small screws and are placed in the jawbone. These screws protrude through the gum to hold the replacement tooth into place.

Subperiosteal Dental Implants

If you need dental implants but you do not have enough healthy jawbone to support them, your dentist might recommend subperiosteal implants. Subperiosteal Implants are the opposite of endosteal implants and are done on the bone instead of drilling into the bone. These implants are placed on or above the jawbone and under the gum to protrude through the gum, holding the replacement tooth.

All-on-4 Dental Implants

All-on-4 dental implants are another option that is often a viable choice for adults who want to avoid dentures. This dental implant requires a small titanium screw placed into your jaw which then replaces the root of the previous missing tooth. This does require a small surgery but once completed, the crown is connected, and the result is a very real functional tooth. This dental implant surgery is known as all-on-4 as 4 implants are used per jaw. 

Implant Overdentures

Implant overdentures are a great alternative to traditional dentures if you’re healthy enough for a tooth extraction. Once the surgery is approved, overdentures are placed on top of implants, increasing the tooth stability when compared to traditional dentures. Some of the benefits of overdentures include improved speech, an easier time chewing foods, minimizing discomfort while also increasing convenience. No more denture adhesives! And often, pre-existing dentures can be used to help save money for us dental patients.

Implant-Supported Dental Bridges

One of the last options available when needing dental implants are Implant-supported bridges. These are a good option when one or more teeth are missing, if not enough jawbone is there to support an implant, or if a nerve is nearby causing abnormal pain. Implant-supported bridges often have three pieces. 

• The Implant
• The Abutment
• The Restoration

The implant experience begins with a consultation including dental history, x-rays, teeth impressions, and a possible CT scan if multiple teeth are missing. Once the first surgery is performed and the implant is healed, the second surgery will require a much smaller incision is made than the first. The last step, the restoration stage, is the patient’s final visit where a permanent bridge is attached.  

Post dental implant surgery, discomfort, swelling, bleeding, and bruising are all common side effects resulting from these procedures. The implant process is one’s that takes time, patience, and multiple visits before its finally completed. Pain medication and antibiotics are commonly prescribed after dental implant surgery. But let’s not scare off too many people with our straightforward facts! 

The greatest news of all with dental implant surgery is that there is a 90-95% success rate! Count us in!