Your front teeth are a crucial part of smiling and eating. When they are in place, they are both the most prominent teeth in a facial expression and the first ones to bite into food. People who have lost theirs can feel self-conscious about smiling. The good news is that dental implants can replace lost front teeth while mimicking their natural color, luster, shape, and function. Read on to learn more about how dental implants can restore your smile to the height of its glory.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants work like natural teeth because they sit in the jaw in almost exactly the same manner. The process begins with a titanium post placed into the jawbone beneath the gumline. The jaw and the post will fuse together in a process called osseointegration. An artificial tooth is mounted on the post, resulting in a realistic restoration rising from the gumline. If you don’t tell anyone you received a dental implant, you and your dentist may very well be the only ones who know.
What Should I Know About the Dental Implant Process?
The first step is the placing of the implant. Similarly to a crown or a root canal, this initial surgical procedure is usually carried out with local anesthetic. The implant is then covered by a small protective “button.” Many cases go without stitches or post-operative pain medications. All that is required is superb oral hygiene for the first one or two days.
The second phase happens after three or more months of healing. By that time, the implant should be fused to the bone and ready for the artificial tooth. A post is tightened into the implant. A crown made of porcelain or zirconia is screwed or cemented onto the implant. The process is now complete and requires only the same hygiene as the rest of the teeth.
How Do Dental Implants Affect My Health?
Implants are superior to bridges, crowns, or dentures because they behave like natural teeth and do not require any alterations on healthy dental structures. Interfering with healthy teeth by such means as grinding or shaving can open them up to infection. Implants can also allow the patient to eat foods that were formerly unchewable.
In addition to not affecting their neighboring teeth, dental implants also protect them. A jaw with missing teeth is deprived of the stimulation and exercise it needs to stay strong. The face will reshape and sink as the jaw atrophies and recedes. This jaw recession can misalign healthy teeth and expose them to further damage. The implant also shares the pressure of the bite with neighboring teeth, protecting them from wear and tear.
Dental implants are an excellent means of replacing missing front teeth with benefits to both the patient’s health and appearance. A well-maintained implant can last for decades. If you are interested in the procedure, your dentist can help determine your potential candidacy.
About the Author
Dr. Stephen Tomaszewski earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. Afterward, he signed up with the U.S. Navy Dental Corps and completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency in Okinawa, Japan. He went on to provide humanitarian care on an extended joint task force mission in Pakistan. CCFDentistry, his practice in Slidell, LA, provides services such as routine cleanings, restorative dentistry, periodontics, and dental implants. For more information, contact him online or dial (985) 641-4444.
