Tooth Implant Procedure: Most Practical Replacement Option for a Single Tooth or a Few Teeth

Are you faced with a knocked out tooth or a few busted teeth as a result of physical sports or an accident? A tooth implant procedure may be your best option, especially if you do not want your other teeth to be affected by the placement of bridges and partial dentures. To allay your fears on having a tooth implant procedure done, the basic steps are described to familiarize yourself with the procedure and to better equip you to ask questions, and discuss your other options with your doctor.

Basic Guide On Tooth Implant Procedure

* The first step of a tooth implant is to evaluate whether you can proceed with a dental implant or not. Smoker, heavy drinkers, and people with healing problems on account of diabetes and anemia are discouraged to undergo this treatment to avoid the risk of complications. The second stage is compliance with pre surgery requirements to include administration of x-rays for jawbone analysis as basis for determining the most appropriate implant device.

* Third stage of the tooth implant procedure is the surgery. Your dentist will use a local or general anaesthesia that will enable you to sleep throughout the surgery, depending on your preference. You may have to take in antibiotics if there is a need based on the results your medical examination.

* The procedure involves incision on your gums and formation of a space by drilling a tiny hole in your jawbone. A titanium-alloy cylinder is then surgically inserted into your jawbone that will serve as an artificial root that will hold a false tooth in place . Your gums are then sutured to enable the implants to get healed, and fuse with your jawbone to provide a stable support for the artificial tooth. Healing takes place within a period of four to six months.

* Your dentist will require you to take in antibiotics and pain relievers after the surgical procedure. A temporary bridge or denture may also be provided in case the implant is administered in the front of your mouth for mitigation of possible social discomfort. Removal of stitches will take place after 10 days.

After the implant is placed in your jaw, you will have to wait several months for the implant to osseointegrate or be attached to your jawbone. Healing usually requires three or four months in the lower jaw, and five to six months in the upper jaw. At this stage, the head of implant is secured below your gum.

* After the implants have osseointegrated to the surrounding jaw bone, you will be prepared for the second surgery. After the administration of anesthesia, your surgeon will uncover the implant by making a tiny incision in your gum. The protective screw of the implant will be replaced by a collar or metal abutment to maintain the space for your gums to heal properly around the implant. The metal abutment is a small titanium cylinder that is positioned above your gums, where your teeth would be placed.

* Bear in mind that some dentists administer one-stage implants. These dental implants placed in the jaw, remain exposed in the mouth so that second surgery is not required.

* Usually two to three weeks later after the second surgery procedure, you will return to your dentist to start the restoration process or having your crown or bridge made. To replace a single tooth, your dentist will use a crown. The crown will be custom designed to blend seamlessly with your other teeth. To replace back teeth, the use of metal crowns is often the answer considering that the same teeth are exposed to greater pressure from biting and chewing. To replace front teeth, the option is ceramic and porcelain crown type because of its natural appearance. Meanwhile for multiple teeth replacement, the implant-supported bridge is used.

Estimated Cost of Dental Implant

* The cost requirement for dental implant may fall within $1,000 to $4,000 per tooth. The cost range for full upper or lower jaw restoration is around $13,000 to $36,000 while the cost range for full mouth restoration can reach a minimum of $24,000 or a maximum of $72,000.

* The cost requirement of dental implant has bearing on the implant devices used, type of dental implant done, training and experience of the dentists, area and country location, and the amount of additional work done before the dental implants can be placed such as sinus augmentation for upper jaw implants and bone grafting when there is not enough bones to strongly hold the implant.

* Hence, a dental implant is affordable if you are just missing a single tooth or a few teeth. However, if you have to undergo full lower or upper jaw teeth restoration, the cost could be significantly high requiring you to avail of a dental financing plan with your dentist.

Dental Implant Categories

* Endosteal implants or Root-Form Titanium Implants are implants directly placed into the jaw bone. These can be referred to as screw dental implant types or plate form implants, where a long, flat, implant is placed into the jawbone. Once the gum tissue surrounding the implant has healed, a second surgery is a must to bond a post to the original implant where the artificial tooth or teeth will be attached individually, or grouped together in a bridge or denture.

* On the other hand, subperiosteal implants are used when the amount of bone is not sufficient to strongly support endosteal implants. Instead of being inserted into the jaw bone, the subperiosteal dental implant types rest on surface of the jawbone beneath the gums and become fixed when the gums heal. Attached to the frame, are posts that extend beyond the gums wherein the replacement teeth will be mounted. This implant type is a product of a CAT scan and jawbone's cosmetic impression.

Success Rates and Durability of Implants

* Five-year studies have revealed a 95% success rate for lower jaw dental implants and 90% success rate for upper jaw dental implants. The process for upper jaw implants is more complicated compared to lower jaw since upper jaw is lesser dense than lower jaw thus osseointegration or the implant integration with the bone is not easy to achieve.

* The life span of implants can last for ten or twenty years depending on the administration of the procedure and the strict adherence to dental routine by the patient concerned.

The option to undergo tooth implant is a wise decision if you are confronted with a missing tooth or you need to replace a few teeth. Always ask your dentist for payment options when undergoing a dental implant procedure.