The benefits of dental implants are far-reaching and can last a lifetime. Dental implants are a far more permanent and effective oral health solution than a set of complete dentures or other temporary treatments.
Dental implants can also prevent bone loss, protect surrounding bone and bone density, prevent gum disease, and provide several oral health benefits for your jawbone, gums, and natural teeth.
However, many new patients are understandably and initially nervous about a dental implant procedure. Dental implant surgery is a multi-step process that takes time. The procedure may also require supplemental treatments like tooth extraction or other oral health initiatives to ensure that dental implants last as long as possible and have the best benefits.
That said, dental implants are one of the most common dental procedures when it comes to oral surgery. An implant dentistry specialist like Pannu Dental Group can ensure you have a positive dental implant experience and enjoy the benefits of dental implants for years and decades.
Table of Contents
How the Dental Implant Procedure Works
The Next Step is a Personalized Treatment Plan
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental Implants Can Prevent Bone Loss
Dental Implants Provide Better Confidence
Discover the Best Dental Implants in San Jose
Benefits of Dental Implants for Enhancing Oral Health and Quality of Life
So, how does the dental implant procedure work, and what can you expect before, during, and after dental implant surgery? What factors dictate whether you are a great candidate for dental implant surgery, and what are the benefits of dental implants besides a brilliant new smile that goes together with miles of confidence?
Read on to uncover everything you need to know about what dental implants offer and how you can reap the many benefits of dental implants.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are an effective solution for replacing a missing tooth or missing teeth. They are also a permanent set of artificial teeth designed to look and function just like your natural teeth.
Dental implants are designed from top to bottom to replace missing teeth completely and permanently. This makes them more comfortable and longer- lasting than other false teeth options, like dentures.
A dental implant compromises a metal titanium post that acts as an artificial tooth root and is placed into the jawbone. This titanium post supports artificial teeth, such as dental crowns, a dental bridge, or implant-supported dentures. An abutment connects the dental implant to the artificial tooth, designed to look like a natural tooth and match your surrounding teeth. When the dental implant placement is complete, the artificial teeth look and function like natural teeth and can be maintained with simple good dental hygiene habits.
How the Dental Implant Procedure Works
Dental implants are one of the most common surgical procedures when it comes to oral health treatments and dental surgeries. Therefore, the best dental implant specialists follows a process for the dental implant procedure to ensure the best results.
The First Step is a Consultation
Your dental implant specialist will first start with a consultation and thorough exam to ensure that you are an ideal candidate for dental implants.
Our dental specialist generally recommend dental implants in the following scenarios.
- You have missing teeth or a missing tooth. If you have a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth, dental implants may be recommended to replace them.
- You generally have good oral health. In other words, you may have missing teeth but do not have other significant issues with your remaining teeth or neighboring teeth, like periodontal disease, bone disorders, or other issues with bone growth or natural bone tissue.
- Your jawbone is fully grown. Dental implant surgery is generally not recommended for younger patients whose jaw bones are not fully developed.
- You have enough natural bone growth in your jaw to hold the dental implant or can have a bone graft. Bone grafting is a common step when it comes to dental implant surgery. It is a surgical procedure that involves transplanting bone tissue or similar structures to repair diseased or damaged bone in the jaw.
- You don’t indulge in poor oral hygiene habits like smoking or constant teeth grinding, or you are willing to adopt more healthy habits for your overall oral health.
- You have tried other tooth replacement options, like a partial denture, and want a more permanent treatment for replacing missing teeth. The implant replaces other temporary options like dentures, so it may be a better option for patients who have healthy teeth that last a lifetime.
- You can dedicate a month or so for the dental implant placement procedure. In addition to the implant surgery for the implant placement, you’ll also need an initial exam, potential and supplemental procedures like bone grafting, and time afterward to recover as the implant heals.
The Next Step is a Personalized Treatment Plan
Based on your initial dental implant consultation, your oral surgeon will develop a comprehensive treatment plan to replace your missing teeth while protecting your natural teeth.
The Implant Placement or Procedure
The dental implant procedure involves surgically placing the implant post or posts into your jawline before affixing the artificial tooth or artificial teeth. This is a one-day procedure and typically involves local anesthesia to ensure your comfort.
The Healing Process
After the implant placement, a healing period of several months may be necessary before the artificial teeth are permanently affixed. During this timeframe, you may need to eat soft foods or take other steps to ensure good oral hygiene.
The Final Restoration and Maintenance
When the dental implant fully integrates with the jawbone, the final restoration – like a crown, bridge, or denture – will be placed to restore your smile. This will help to ensure your new artificial tooth or teeth look exactly like your existing and surrounding teeth. After this step, you’ll have to maintain healthy habits to maintain your new, healthy teeth, like seeing your dentist regularly and brushing and flossing daily.
All in all, most dental implants can be effectively placed after several visits over a few weeks. The dental implant surgery takes no longer than a lengthy dental office visit.
The Benefits of Dental Implants
There are several benefits of dental implants outside the immediate advantages of having a lifelong solution for missing teeth. A handful of these benefits include the following.
Dental Implant Failure is Extremely Rare
It’s natural for patients to be concerned about any surgical procedure. However, dental implants have an impressively high success rate when it comes to tooth replacement solutions.
In fact, multiple studies have shown that dental implants have a 90–95% success rate over ten years. They can also restore 80–100% of a patient’s original bite strength.
Dental Implants Can Prevent Future Tooth Loss
Your teeth are held in place by tooth roots, and if a tooth’s root fails, it can impact adjacent teeth and nearby teeth.
This is because when there is a missing tooth and damage to tooth roots, your nearby teeth may tilt toward that open space. The teeth will eventually become loose or damaged themselves. However, implants act as artificial tooth roots, and the titanium post that is implanted is stronger and more permanent than a natural tooth’s root. As a result, your surrounding teeth will be protected by your replacement tooth or teeth, which are permanently affixed in place.
Dental Implants Can Preserve Jawbone Health
Your jawbone needs stimulation to keep your tooth roots to be healthy and prevent future tooth loss. But when there is a lost tooth, the pressure from the missing tooth on your jawbone disappears. As a result, your body will begin to reabsorb nutrients from your jawbone to use elsewhere a process that is also known as remineralization.
Since dental implants fill the space from a lost tooth or missing teeth, the new tooth replacement acts like a natural tooth. Replacing that pressure on your jawbone and stimulating natural bone growth and preservation makes it feel like natural teeth.
Dental Implants Can Prevent Bone Loss
When it comes to jawbone health, bone loss is a particularly common issue after tooth loss. Additionally, bone loss can easily become worse over time, especially if tooth loss goes on for a while without a solution. Dental implants prevent bone loss and any changes to your facial structure, a natural side effect of tooth loss and perpetual bone loss.
Dental Implants Allow You to Preserve Your Remaining Healthy Teeth
Some treatments, like dental bridges, may require the filing down nearby teeth to fit dental crowns, which can reduce the overall structure of your remaining natural teeth.
But with dental implants, there is no need to make adjustments to your natural teeth. That said, they can retain their natural appearance and tooth enamel while you enjoy a long-term solution for tooth loss.
Dental Implants Can Naturally Create Better Oral Health
Your new tooth replacement treatment is designed to last a lifetime. Dental implants are resilient to common problems in natural teeth, like cavities or tooth decay, and maintain their function for years and decades at a time. As a result, you won’t have to worry about future tooth decay or other deterioration if your dental implants are properly maintained with brushing, flossing, and routine dentist visits.
Dental Implants Can Improve Your Speech
Unfortunately, tooth loss can change how you speak, and less-permanent treatments like dentures can also create speech issues. For example, tooth gaps have been known to develop a lisp, while dentures can slip and slide around, creating an awkward and potentially embarrassing situation.
However, dental implants permanently keep all restorative work for missing teeth in place, so your speech will not be unaffected, and you can communicate just as you do with natural teeth.
Dental Implants Create a Better Appearance in More Ways Than One
Your tooth replacement treatment is designed to look and act just like your natural teeth. Therefore, you’ll have an instant new tooth that looks just like a natural tooth after a dental implant procedure.
In addition, there might other cosmetic issues that stem from tooth loss or bone loss, (like sagging facial structure). Nonetheless, dental implants will help naturally make cosmetic improvements, as your new tooth replacement prevents bone loss and restores your overall appearance.
Dental Implants Provide Better Cost Savings in the Future
A missing tooth or teeth can spiderweb into various issues over time.
For example, in the future, you may need to adjust several teeth due to deteriorating tooth roots and bone loss. Also, a damaged or missing natural tooth may lead to higher risks of gum disease and other oral health issues.
However, dental implants are designed to be a permanent treatment for a missing natural tooth and many other associated oral health issues. Also, here’s some great news: dental implants are often covered by dental insurance.
Dental Implants Provide Better Confidence from the Inside Out
Having a natural tooth that is damaged, deteriorating, or missing can hinder your confidence when it comes to chatting, eating, and smiling. Damaged teeth can also keep you from performing all the normal day-to-day functions that are prevalent in good oral health. Dental implants, however, provide a lifetime of smiles and are a great way to ensure that your confidence is instantly heightened as soon as your tooth replacement procedure is complete.
Discover the Best Dental Implants in San Jose with Pannu Dental Group
At Pannu Dental Group, we utilize the most advanced technology possible, combined with a caring and client-focused setting, to ensure that dental implants meet and exceed our patients’ expectations.
Don’t wait to explore your dental implant options – Pannu Dental Group, the dental implants Bay Area specialist, is standing by to help you start a life-changing treatment plan.
Start your journey by contacting us today to schedule your initial dental implant consultation. Our team will help answer all your questions about dental implants and other professional dental treatments.
Regardless of whether you need full mouth dental implants or just need to replace a lone missing tooth, our exceptional, experienced, and caring team will work with you step by step to identify the best and most comfortable path forward for your unique oral health needs.
Schedule your consultation today!
Dr. Dalvir S. Pannu has been a practicing dentist since 1995. In 1996 he opened his first dental practice in India, where he gained invaluable experience and acumen. In October of 1997 he was invited by the American Dental Association (ADA) to present the table clinic on Endodontics, at their annual session held in Washington, D.C. At this time he fell in love with the United States and became passionate about practicing dentistry in California. He became particularly enamored of the San Francisco Bay area, and soon took up residence and work here.