Dental implants are a wonderful solution to missing or lost teeth. Once inserted, the titanium-based implant can remain in your jaw for a long time, making it a permanent treatment. But as amazing and popular as they are, how do dental implants work? To learn more about the in-depth procedure of dental implants, keep reading this blog.
What Are Dental Implants?
Thanks to modern dentistry, people no longer have to worry about living the rest of their lives without teeth. As adults, the slightest damage to your pearly whites can lead to severe results. And unlike milk teeth, adult teeth do not grow back out if lost. However, with dental implants, accidents can be covered, and your teeth can be restored.
Ultimately, a dental implant is a fake tooth drilled inside your gums and jawbone. Its main strength comes from three different components that help to support it. An essential aspect of a dental implant is its titanium base. That is what allows it to mold into your jawbone, as titanium is a biocompatible metal. This characteristic enables the titanium base to remain inside your jawbone for years on end without corroding or causing problems.
Dental implants are such a valuable investment due to how natural they look and feel. When the implant heals, you won’t be able to differentiate it from others since it is custom-built to look and function exactly like natural teeth.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
The entire purpose of a dental implant is to last for a very long time in your mouth, which is only possible because of the titanium build. Based on its qualities, your body wholly welcomes the titanium and slowly grows over it, accepting it as part of itself. Thus, when your gums and jawbone heal around the titanium base, the pontic tooth attached on top finally gets its support.
Once the base and surface of the implant are connected, it performs like a regular tooth. Whether you chew, bite, speak, or do any activity regarding your teeth, the implant will remain firmly rooted, much like the rest of your pearly whites.
Dental Implant Process
Getting a dental implant is a lifelong commitment. It requires dedication and a whole lot of patience. Because depending on the condition of your tooth, the implant procedure can last anywhere from a few months to a year at most.
The very first thing your oral surgeon will do is evaluate your oral health. The affected tooth will be checked and extracted if needed. However, if your tooth is already missing, the dentist will move on to assess your jaw health. This is to see if your jaw is healthy enough to support an implant. If not, you may need a bone graft.
On the contrary, if everything is clear, you will be scheduled for the main procedure, where the titanium base will be drilled inside your gums and jawbone. But it is important to remember that after the initial step, you will need to wait for the oral tissues to heal before moving on. This can take up to a few weeks or months, depending on whether your body accepts the implant or not.
When your jaw has completely healed and the implant base is well-adjusted, the next step would be to attach the abutment to the base. The abutment is the middle piece that helps connect and reinforce the implant. Although, after the abutment is stable, the pontic tooth is finally secured on top, marking the end of the lengthy procedure.
Closing Word
To summarize, dental implants are a permanent treatment option for missing teeth. They work through the help of their strong components that consist of a titanium base, abutment anchor, and a natural-looking crown.
For more information on the process, feel free to contact AK Dental at (512) 653-3008 or drop by our dental clinic at 7010 State Hwy 71, Austin, TX 78735, United States.