If you are missing teeth and want to bring some life back to your smile, dental implants may be an option for you. Some patients without a full set of teeth can experience troubles eating and speaking or with having their remaining teeth shift out of alignment. While Dr. Richard Wilczek doesn’t always recommend dental implants for missing teeth, it’s the only tooth replacement option that prevents jawbone degradation and has many other advantages to boot.
Different Types of Implants Made of titanium, dental implants are fabricated tooth roots that consist of several posts that get installed into your jawbone. The implants are topped with crowns to replace your missing teeth. They look completely natural and require no special care beyond your usual dental hygiene routine. They can be used to support any number of artificial teeth, from a single tooth to a full set of top or bottom teeth. Getting Dental Implants The process of getting dental implants involves a number of steps and requires multiple appointments that are scheduled several months apart. Here’s roughly how the procedure breaks down: Initial consultation: Your dentist will take X-rays of your mouth to determine if you’re a candidate for the procedure. If you don’t have enough bone in your jaw, you may require a bone graft. The dentist may also remove one or more remaining teeth if necessary. Placing the implant: Your dentist will surgically place the implant into your jawbone. While many patients report that this process is less painful than they imagined, we offer different types of sedation to keep you as comfortable as possible. Healing: Over the next few months, the implant and your jaw will fuse together in a process called osseointegration. This bond will create a strong and long-lasting foundation to support the crown that will replace your tooth. Adding the connector: Once your jaw is sufficiently healed, you’ll come back to the dentist’s office to have the abutment—that is, the connector for your new tooth—placed. Attaching the crown: Once the abutment is placed, your dentist will attach the custom crown that was created. This should perfectly match the size, shape and colour of your natural teeth. This step sometimes happens at the same time as placing the abutment. Getting Dental Implants in Prince George Consider getting dental implants if you’re tired of being embarrassed about your smile and you want to keep your remaining teeth and jaw healthy. Visit your dentist at our Prince George dental clinic to determine if this is your best option. Call us today to book a consultation.