Dental implants are for people who are missing or have damaged teeth. Implants are the second best thing next to your own strong and healthy teeth. Implants are placed in the mouth using metal screws. These screws fit into your jawbone. Then an implant is placed over them.
Implants support crowns, bridges and dentures. Crowns replace one missing tooth. Bridges replace two or more missing teeth. They bridge the gap left by the missing teeth in your mouth. Dentures replace part or all of your missing teeth.
You will not need an implant for each of your missing teeth. Your implants will be installed only at the necessary sites. For example, if you are missing one tooth then you will need a crown. An implant will be placed at that site. Two implants can be used for a bridge. You only need four to six implants for dentures.
Eligibility for Dental Implants
As long as you have strong enough bones in your mouth, you should be eligible for dental implants.
There are some other factors that determine if you’re eligible for implants. You have to be in sound mental and physical health. Your mouth has to be relatively healthy. If you smoke, take certain medications or have bleeding gums, you may not be eligible for implants. Ultimately your dentist will decide if implants are right for you.
Dental Implant Procedure and Recovery
To create a dental implant, the dentist must first put the patient under anesthetic. He may use a combination of anesthetics. You may or may not be awake during the procedure. If you are uncomfortable for being away for it, ask your dentist if he can perform it while you are under full anesthesia.
After the procedure, your dentist will give you instructions about how to treat your new implants. For starters, some bleeding is normal. You can place some guaze or a wet tea bag on the site to help the bleeding go down.
Swelling is also normal. You can use ice wrapped in a cloth and put it outside of your jaw on the area that is swelling. Don’t press too hard, because your mouth still needs to heal.
Any pain you experience can be handled by the prescription medication your dentist gives you. Bleeding may still occur off and on for a few days, but as long as it’s not excessive, you shouldn’t worry.
Smoking will make it hard/impossible for your mouth to heal. The best thing to do is to eat soft foods and drink liquid that is room temperature. You should avoid soda and sugary drinks.
You can stick to water, tea and other clear liquids. You can have coffee if your dentist gives you permission.
Your stitches should dissolve in a week. If your implant moves or is damaged, you need to talk to your dentist right away. If it is causing you an unusual amount of discomfort, call him up immediately.
You can resume regular dental hygiene habits the day after your procedure. Just be careful around the implant area. You should also rinse with salt water three times a day. The water should be room temperature, so that it doesn’t shock your procedure site.
Finally, follow up with all of your appointments. Your dentist has to make sure that there are no problems with the implant and that your mouth is healing properly. If you cannot make an appointment, make sure you reschedule it as soon as possible.
Implants and Dentures
Implants can solve a few of the major problems people have with dentures. Dentures can become loose over time. They flatten out the gums and the bones due to the adhesive being used and the pressure that is used to press them onto the gums. This is how they become lose. Flat gums means that dentures won’t fit your mouth the same way they did at first. After a while, they will stop fitting properly – if they ever fit at all.
With implants, dentures will fit right the first time and every time after that. You don’t have to worry about your teeth clicking or coming lose. You can smile with confidence in public, and no one ever has to know that you’ve had implants done.
Lifespan of Implants
If they are properly taken care of, implants can last for a lifetime. You can take care of them just like you do your normal teeth. Brush, floss, rinse with mouthwash and go in to your dentist on a regular basis. He can check and make sure everything is working properly. If something is wrong your dentist will be able to pinpoint the problem and fix it.
If you would like to make an appointment to discuss dental implants please call 1300 657 033 or book and appointment online and we will call you back to confirm your appointment.