SPOTLIGHT:
DENTAL IMPLANTS OVERVIEW
Being a West Michigan dental office that treats patients of all ages, we see a variety of different dental conditions — from teeth with minor alignment issues to patients with more serious problems, including missing teeth.
When you’re missing teeth, it’s more than just an aesthetic issue. It can affect you both physically and mentally, as eating can become a struggle, and it can be hard to smile with confidence when you have a gap in your mouth. And according to the Mayo Clinic, people without their teeth are at risk of cutting their life short by about 10 years.
Thankfully there’s a solution to this common problem — dental implants — and your West Michigan dentist at Gole Dental Group has the experience that you need.
What are Dental Implants?
The first dental implants have been traced back to around 600 AD, when tooth-like pieces of shell were hammered into the jaw of a Mayan woman. They’ve come a long way from that time, and it’s easiest to think of them as artificial tooth roots, similar in shape to screws. When dental implants are placed in your jawbone, the implants heals around the bone, making it literally part of your body.
They’re the strongest devices available to support replacement teeth, and they nearly match the strength of natural teeth, giving you back the bite that you might have lost, and are a more comfortable alternative to full-mouth dentures. It’s also s a completely safe procedure, with the success rate of dental implants reported in scientific literature as 98 percent.
According to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, more than three million people in the United States have implants, a number that is growing by 500,000 annually.
How do you know if it’s right for you?
Dental implant surgery may be right if you:
- Are missing one or more teeth
- Have a jawbone that’s reached full growth
- Have enough bone to secure the implants or are suitable to having a bone graft
- Maintain healthy oral tissues
- Are free of health conditions that will affect bone healing
- Are unable or unwilling to wear dentures
- Want to improve your speech
- Have several months to commit to the process
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Your dentist makes an opening in your jawbone and surgically places an implant. The implant attaches to your bone and begins to act as a new “root” for the crown. A crown that’s made to look like a natural tooth is attached to the implant, which fills the space left in the mouth by the missing tooth.
An implant-restored tooth consists of several parts.
The Implant
This is made of titanium and placed in the upper or lower jawbone.
The Abutment
This can be made of titanium, gold, or porcelain. It attaches to the implant with a screw, which connects the implant to the crown. In order to receive the crown, it’s been cut down and shaped like a natural tooth.
The Restoration
The part that looks like a tooth is also called a crown. Usually made of porcelain fused to a metal alloy, it’s screwed or cemented onto the abutment. If the crown is screwed to the abutment, a restorative material such as tooth-colored composite will cover the screw hole.
The Process
This isn’t quite as simple as going into the operating room with missing teeth and coming out with a whole new set of pearly whites. This surgery, although minor, is performed in several stages and requires outpatient care.
Initial Consultation: Because dental implants require one or more surgical procedures, you must have a thorough evaluation that includes having dental X-rays and 3D surveys taken of your teeth and mouth to determine if bone augmentation or soft tissue grafting would be required for treatment success. Your dentist will discuss with you the recommended treatment plan, explaining the procedure, and an estimated timeframe.
If the X-rays show that your jaw doesn’t have enough bone to hold an implant, the dentist can discuss options for building up the bone. These may often include bone grafting, where bone from another source is added to your jaw, or bone distraction, where a surgical procedure is done at the site where more bone is needed.
If you’ve had a bone graft, you need time to allow your bone to properly heal. It can take anywhere from 4-12 months for your jaw to be ready for the first implant.
First surgery — implant placement: Once you have enough bone to hold an implant, your dentist will place the implant in your jaw. This procedure can take 1-2 hours, and you’ll be given anesthesia. Holes are drilled into the bone where the dental implant metal post will be placed, where it will serve as the tooth root.
The healing process can take four or five months, during which time the bone and the implants will fuse together. This is a process called osseointegration, and it forms a strong, long-lasting foundation for your replacement teeth.
Second Surgery — placement of healing collar and/or temporary crown: Once the bone and implants have fused, it’s time to get a healing collar and temporary crown. The healing collar is a round piece of metal that holds the gum away from the head of the implant, guiding the gum tissue to heal properly.
Once the tissue heals around the collar, usually around two weeks, it’s removed.
Placement of the Abutment: the abutment is the part that screws into the implant that will support the crown. A temporary crown is placed on the abutment after the abutment is attached to the implant. There are times the abutment can be placed at the same time as the implant. The temporary crown will be in place for another four to six weeks.
Placement of Permanent Crown: After your gums heal, impressions of your mouth and remaining teeth are taken to custom-make your artificial teeth. It usually takes about two to three weeks to create your permanent crowns, which can be either cemented or screwed to the abutment.
With any minor surgery there is mild discomfort, and some symptoms might include:
- Swelling of the face and gums
- Bruising of the skin and gums
- Pain at the implant site
- Minor bleeding
If these symptoms get worse in the days after surgery, contact your oral surgeon, who may need to prescribe pain medications or antibiotics.
You should treat your implant the same way you would care for your natural teeth, which means brushing two-to-three times a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with non-alcoholic mouthwash. If possible, avoid chewing hard items, such as ice and hard candy, which can break your crowns and natural teeth. It’s also important that you see your dentist at Gole Dental every six months for a cleaning and checkup.
When cared for properly, you can expect your implant to last as long as 25 years.
Learn More
If you are ready to learn more about Gole Dental Group’s options when it comes to dental implant options for yourself or a loved one, contact us today to set up an appointment.
At this initial consultation, we can learn more about your dental health, goals, and identify the option that’s just right for you.
