Dental Implants: Replacements for Your Teeth

Dental implants are natural looking tooth replacements. They are beneficial for people who wish to have the look of their natural smile, but for some reason, they have lost their natural teeth. Many people opt for this choice, because they do not need to be removed for cleaning like dentures. It is possible to have dental implants and others around you will not know the difference. If you opt for dentures, you run the risk of them shifting while you are talking or eating. When wearing dentures, you have to become accustomed to how they feel when you are trying to talk. For the first few days, you will need to adjust to having them in your mouth. The feelings that you have associated with having the foreign structure in your mouth will eventually disappear. When you opt to have dental implants, they feel very much like your own teeth, so it might be easier to speak with them from the very start. Dentures can also cause a person to experience some discomfort or irritation in the soft areas of the mouth. Some people get sores in the mouth because of the dentures. With dental implants, you might experience some discomfort as a result of the surgery, but these feelings are likely to vanish in a few days. You must make sure that the doctor that you choose is experienced in completing the procedures. You want to be sure that the dentist knows how to act if there are complications during the procedure. In the procedure, the doctor connects the implant to the bone; therefore, you must have a sufficient amount of bone structure for the new tooth. If you do not have enough bone, the dentist can take bone from one area of your body and graft it to the other part. When discussing the surgery with your doctor, you should ask about the type of implant that will be used. You should also inquire about the length of time that it will take for your gums to heal so that you can have the new teeth added. Generally, it could take several months for the gums to heal. Therefore, you might wish to wear a flipper, which is a false tooth that hides your missing teeth. The flipper is usually worn until your gums are healthy enough to support the new implanted tooth. If you choose to have the surgery, you should visit a dentist for a consultation. The dentist will examine your teeth and determine if you are a good candidate for the procedure. If you are a good candidate, the doctor will review the steps for the procedure with you. The dentist will also discuss options to ease your discomfort during the procedure, but you need to ask questions regarding discomfort during the recovery. You should also ask the doctor questions regarding the length of time that it would take for your installation to be complete. During the process, you should feel comfortable asking your dentist questions at any time.