Restore Your Teeth With Dental Implants
Are you concerned about missing teeth and the impact on your oral health? Trauma, decay, disease, fractured roots and tooth positioning can all lead to tooth loss. Once a tooth is gone, the surrounding bone deteriorates, and more teeth can potentially collapse into the space left behind.
Aside from the aesthetic reason for losing a tooth, such as how it affects your appearance, it will also affect your oral health. Loss of back teeth will also directly change how you bite, eat and chew. The gap it creates can cause a caved-in appearance to your face, changing how it looks. This is where dental implants come in.
Dental implants can help solve these problems and restore your teeth, allowing you to achieve a healthier smile. A temporary transitional restoration piece is used while the jawbone attaches to the implant. Once healed, you will receive your new permanent restoration, and be able to show off your new smile.
Eating Your Favourite Foods With Dental Implants
While you will need to eat soft foods for the first few weeks after your surgery, dental implants can help restore the full force of your bite. Once healed, your implants will allow you to eat all the foods you may have missed after losing your teeth.
The Dental Implant Process
How long does an implant take, and what does the process entail? First and foremost, the dental implant process will be completed in multiple visits over a few months.
Initially, X-rays and impressions of the teeth and jaw are taken. This measures their height and width, gum tissue and available space for the implant to be placed. Next, the titanium implant is surgically placed in the jawbone. It usually takes about four to six months to heal completely. A temporary transitional restoration piece is used while the jawbone heals and attaches to the implant.
Once healed, an impression of the top of the implant is taken to create a restoration. Once created, this new restoration, such as a crown, will be permanently affixed to the implant. This will look like a natural tooth, and your smile and oral health will be restored.
Dental Implant FAQs
Below we offer the answers to our most frequently asked questions about dental implants at Birchmount Dental Group.
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How long does a dental implant last?
Your new dental implant is designed to last a lifetime with proper care. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth daily at home and attending regular hygiene cleanings and exams at your dental office.
Other factors can impact the longevity of your implant, including nutrition, genetics, and the development of dental diseases.
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How do I care for my dental implants?
You will care for your dental implant much like you would your natural teeth.
Daily care, like brushing and flossing, and regular dentist visits can help prevent decay or diseases from developing in the surrounding teeth and gums, which can negatively affect your dental implants.
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Does getting a dental implant hurt?
During dental implant surgery, your dentist will administer anesthesia to make you comfortable so you won't feel pain.
Once the procedure is complete, there is usually little discomfort. Most patients can manage any pain with over-the-counter pain medication for a few days after the procedure.
It would also help to eat a soft diet for the first couple of weeks after the implant procedure to avoid pain or irritation.
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How long does the dental implant process take?
Depending on your treatment plan, the entire dental implant process usually takes three to six months to complete.
Your dentist will provide you with an approximate timeline during your consultation.
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Will my insurance cover dental implants?
Some insurance companies may cover the cost of dental implants, while others may only pay for a portion or not pay for any part of it at all.
You will need to check with your insurance provider to learn more about what is covered under your policy.
For your convenience, we also offer a variety of payment methods and financing options.