Dental implants are permanent solutions requiring less upkeep than bridges or dentures, usually replaced every few years. They’re designed to be fully functional, with the strength and durability to keep up with the daily demands we subject our teeth to.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
After losing a tooth, a dental implant can often be the right strategy to improve your quality of life. These innovative replacements come in three parts to successfully replicate a natural tooth’s structure:
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- Post: This component simulating the root is constructed from medical-grade titanium drilled into your jaw before fusing with surrounding bone through osseointegration.
- Abutment: The metal connector inserts into the post and securely attaches it to the crown.
- Crown: The final piece to your implant supplies a real tooth’s physical look and feel.
Why Should I Get Dental Implants?
Dental implants are a desired solution for those with missing or damaged teeth. However, there are some cases where a patient may not be an excellent candidate for them. You’ll often receive the green light if you:
- Have one or more missing teeth.
- Have reached full jawbone growth.
- Have healthy oral tissue.
- Are unwilling to wear dentures.
- Don’t smoke tobacco.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Implants?
Unique advantages of dental implants include:
- Restore speaking and chewing ability: Dental implants fill holes from removed teeth to restore your speaking and chewing patterns.
- Stabilize adjacent teeth: Filling in the space left behind prevents surrounding teeth from shifting, preserving your bite alignment and ability to chew successfully.
- Maintain a natural look: By mimicking natural teeth, dental implants provide comfortable use and prevent sagging skin and collapsed cheeks.
- Avoid bone loss: Inserting high-quality implants within the first six months of losing a tooth can eliminate destructive bone loss in your jaw.
Dental Implant Procedure Process
Dental implant surgery is a long process, occurring in stages over a few months to facilitate adequate healing and bone growth between every step. The procedure begins with a comprehensive dental exam, complete with X-rays and 3D images, to learn as much as possible about your teeth and jaw.
Once a personalized treatment plan is in place, you’ll be on track to follow these steps:
- Tooth removal: The process often begins by removing the affected teeth and giving your mouth time to heal properly.
- Surgery: Your surgeon will cut your gum to expose the bone, drill holes and secure the dental implant’s metal post.
- Recovery: After stitching the surgical site, your surgeon will send you home for a few months to rest while your implant fuses with the surrounding bone to create a solid base for your new tooth.
- Abutment placement: Your surgeon must reopen your site to expose the implant to insert the abutment, which is the attachment point for your artificial tooth.
- Crown installation: Once your crown is created using impressions of your mouth, your dentist will attach it to your abutment so you can show off your new smile!
3D x-ray technology allows Boise dentist Dr. Crump to place dental implants with precision and accuracy available to few other Treasure Valley Dentists.
Request Appointment With Boise Family Dental Care
If you’re interested in obtaining dental implants in Boise, Idaho, our team can help. Boise Family Dental Care is the area’s leading provider with over 10 years of patient experience. You can count on our expert specialists to help you create a smile worth showing.
Schedule a consultation online or call us at 208-376-7413 to request an appointment today.