Missing tooth or teeth?
Life must feel at a halt, isn’t it? Relax, you aren’t alone. Over 156+ million Americans have a missing tooth.
Besides, having a chipped or broken tooth or teeth can be disheartening. Missing or lost teeth can affect how you smile and significantly impact what you eat and how you present yourself.
But thanks to the applications of implants in dentistry, missing or losing a tooth is no longer a bane. Dental implants are designed to look, function, and feel like natural teeth to give you a confident smile.
This blog talks more about dental implants and the procedures they follow to restore your smile. So continue reading as we explore the different aspects of the treatment in the following sections.
Dental Implants: Insight Into The Oral Appliance
As the name suggests, a dental implant is a prosthetic replacement for a lost or missing tooth. An implant comprises three parts: Post, Abutment, and the Crown.
Let’s have a closer look at these parts in the chart below:
| Different Parts Of Implant | Function |
| Part A – Post | A post is like a small metal screw surgically placed into the jawbone. This post becomes the base of your artificial tooth to root it in one place. |
| Part B – Abutment | Placed between the fixture and your restoration is the abutment. It functions like a ‘connector’ with one side screwed into the post and the other designed to fix with the prosthetic. |
| Part C – Crown | Crown in the visible part of the tooth coated in white enamel. It is connected to an implant to mimic a natural tooth. |
Based on your oral condition, implants can replace a missing tooth, several adjacent teeth, or all missing teeth in your jaw. The number of implants placed by your dentist in West Columbia, SC, generally depends on your oral health and overall health conditions.
So, now that we have an idea of what implants are let’s have a quick overview of the oral procedure in the following section.
An Overview Of The Dental Implants Procedure
Stage 1: Initial Consultation
The process of dental implants in Columbia, SC, generally begins with an initial consultation. At this stage, the dentist evaluates your current oral health and discusses your expectations from the treatment.
If you’re a suitable candidate, the dentist will start by running different examinations and assess the jawbone where they’ll place the implant.
Stage 2: Treatment Planning
Once your dentist is assured that you need an implant for tooth, they will develop a comprehensive, tailored plan to match your needs. This plan would walk you through the implants’ number, position, and placement.
Following your approval, the team might request your dental plan and proceed with the following stages.
Stage 3: Implant Placement
For the next stage, your dentist will put you under local or general anesthesia (if necessary) to ensure your comfort. During this stage, your dentist surgically places the implants into your jawbone.
Based on your oral condition, implants are inclined vertically, in the front of the arch, or at the rear. This strategic placement makes the most of the available bone and increases stability.
Stage 4: Temporary Prosthetic Teeth
Following the implant surgery, a temporary set of prosthetic teeth is placed on the implants. These temporary teeth function as an aesthetic replacement until your jawbone has healed entirely in a few months.
Stage 5: Osseointegration
Over time, the implants for teeth undergo osseointegration, a process where your jawbone accepts the implant. Once done, this integration ensures a stable foundation for the final restoration.
FYI: Based on your practices, osseointegration can take a few weeks to several months for the implants to fully integrate and prepare for the final restoration.
Stage 6: Final Restoration
Once osseointegration is complete, your temporary tooth is replaced by a custom-designed, permanent solution. This final restoration is crafted to match your natural tooth’s color, shape, and bite alignment.
Am I A Suitable Candidate For Dental Implants?
Determining whether you’re the right candidate for tooth implantation can be challenging. However, based on the following oral conditions, your dentist can help you find the right answer:
Good Oral Health
Candidates seeking dental implant treatment should have healthy gums and little to no active periodontal disease (periodontitis). To provide a stable and healthy oral environment for the implants, any pre-existing oral health concerns, such as cavities or gum disease, may need to be addressed before the implant operation.
Overall Health Assessment
Your overall health and medical background is also a determining factor for dental implants operation. Since specific medical conditions and drugs affect the healing process, revealing any current medical allergies, issues, or drugs is crucial during the initial consultation.
Sufficient Jawbone Density
Since they’re fixed to the jawbone, undergoing the dental implant procedure requires you to have an adequate amount of jawbone to support them. Dental professionals generally use CT scans and X-rays to determine your bone density. However, in cases where bone density is insufficient, experts use additional procedures like sinus lift or bone grafting to boost the bone volume.
Conclusion
Dental implants are a great way to regain your lost smile. These oral appliances are the best way to restore lost confidence while improving overall oral health. So, now that you have an idea of the treatment process and its possibilities, when do you plan to visit your dentist in West Columbia, SC?
Let’s Re-Invent Your Smile
Carolina Smiles Family Dentistry is your #1 spot for effective dental implant treatment. We bring you years of experience in implant treatments at the most affordable costs. Wait no more; check out our services today!