Ask your dentist these seven questions about dental implants

Dental implants are the most widely talked about treatment modality in dentistry nowadays Dr Richa Vats geriatric dentist and Implantologist shares important facts regarding implantsThis is perhaps one of the most common and obvious first questions to ask before dental implants A dental implant isnt an actual tooth but a prosthesis used for replacing missing teeth Basically its a small titanium fixture the dentist inserts into your jawbone on top of which the dentist can attach a tooth This process is done surgically Implants serve as your missing teeths roots Since dental implants fuse with your jawbone they wont make noise slip or cause bone damage like dentures or fixed bridgework mayA dental implant cannot harm the body adversely The implant is completely submerged in the bone so you dont feel any foreign body sensation or irritation Since it is made with titanium alloy it doesnt feel heavy either Also it is safe to get an MRI or a CT scan done with implants a radiologist might have trouble interpreting this scan because of the scattering artifacts While discomfort can vary between people most individuals report getting their dental implant was much less uncomfortable than they anticipated it to be During the surgical dental implant procedure the dentist will give you an anesthetic so you should feel minimal discomfort if any If you follow the dentists postoperative instructions and take the prescribed antibiotics you should experience minimal discomfort Your dentist will likely prescribe you pain medication as well Postoperative instructions are almost similar to that of a dental extraction which includes a soft diet no smoking Basically not disturbing the surgical site Very rarely does an individuals body reject an implant The very few rejections are due to rare allergies to the titanium alloy that make up the implant In this case your dentist will pull out the implant allow the bone to heal and reinsert a new implant Another reason why an implant could fail is if you dont take proper care of it after your surgery Without excellent oral hygiene natural teeth fail and fall out eventually Dental implants are no different When you take good care of your teeth and your implants it will help prevent gum decay and structure failure later on Similar to any oral surgical procedure there is a chance of infection pain and inflammation However negative effects are rare and usually minor if they do occur Also if the dentist cant place the implant because of limited bone availability then you may require a bone and gum grafting procedure which could increase your treatment cost To be a good candidate for implants you need to have good oral and general health You also need to have adequate bone in your jaw to support the dental implant be free of periodontal disease and have healthy gum tissuesAn existing denture wearer it might be possible for your dentist to place the implants beneath existing dentures to help stabilise and support them However the dentist can only do this if your existing dentures are in excellent condition Dental implants can help provide support and retention for a removable implant overdenture Implants help ensure that the full or partial denture doesnt move and decreases the need for denture glue or adhesives Dont smoke or be willing to quit Absolute contraindications to implant rehabilitation include recent myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accident and valvular prosthesis surgery Patients on hormonal therapy like uncontrolled diabetes Immunosuppression bleeding issues osteoporosis active treatment of malignancy drug abuse psychiatric illness as well as intravenous bisphosphonate use Relative contraindications will include tobacco addiction inadequate bone support which cannot be augmented controlled metabolic disorders and patients with poor oral hygiene and noncompliant patientsThe average implant process occurs in multiple steps You may require more than one healing stage So theres a varied healing period depending on your health the number of teeth to be replaced and other factors However the healing process generally takes anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks Placing teeth right after the surgery isnt uncommon but cant be done for everyone A lot of factors are to be considered before making this decision Also this is to be preplanned before the surgery Dental implants can last a lifetime if you take care of them properly by regularly brushing flossing and following your dentists recommendations While no one can guarantee the lifetime success of an implant you can be provided with suggestions and guidelines on how to take good care of your teeth The guidelines are based on your genetic history proper hygiene procedures and your nutritional habits Also you can expect some bone loss around your implant over a few years which may or may not affect the stability of your implant So basically they are a permanent solution for your missing teethAlso Read How to balance mental and physical health to detox our bodiesThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever