Understanding Dental Implant Procedures: What You Need to Know

by Elizabeth Huynh | Apr 9, 2023 | Children's Oral Hygiene, Orthodontics, Restorative Dentistry

If you have a missing tooth, getting a dental implant may be the perfect solution. Whether you’ve already decided to undergo the procedure or are just exploring your options, you may have a lot of questions about dental implants. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about getting dental implant surgery.

What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a fake tooth that is surgically inserted into the gums to replace a missing tooth. The implant is usually made out of titanium and must be placed by an oral surgeon. It is a screw-like piece that is inserted into the jawbone and closely resembles the root of a tooth. The dentist will later attach a crown to the implant so it resembles your other natural teeth.

How Long Will the Procedure Take?
The length of the procedure depends on your dental health, how many teeth are involved in the procedure, which teeth are being replaced, and if a tooth needs to be extracted first. For a single tooth, the implant surgery can take around one to two hours, from applying the anesthesia to the end of the procedure. Talk to your dentist for a better estimate of how long the procedure will take.

image of dental implant Now Dental Carmichael California Better Smiles

Tooth human implant (done in 3d graphics)

The Surgery
Before the surgery, your dentist may give you a list of pre-operative instructions, which you should follow closely. The full procedure needs to be completed in two phases, with the whole process taking between six and nine months.

It is during the first phase that the dentist will surgically place the implant in your mouth. Your mouth will be numbed using local anesthesia, so you will not be able to feel a thing. The dentist will then use a drill to create a hole in the bone for the implant. The implant will be inserted into the space and the gums will be closed over the implant.

Over the following months, the implant will become securely attached to the bone. During the second phase, the implant is re-exposed using a small incision. Then, the dentist will make impressions of your mouth in order to craft the new implant crown. Once the crown is made, the dentist will place it in your mouth and, voila, the procedure is finished.

Post-Surgery Discomfort, Complications, and Care
It is completely normal to experience some discomfort following your dental implant surgery. You may experience some light bruising and swelling in the gums and soft tissues. Discomfort is typically treated with an ordinary painkiller like ibuprofen or codeine. There are some complications that you should be watchful for. Potential complications include:

Bone loss around the implant
Infection of the surrounding gums and bone
The implant failing to adhere to the bone
Your body rejecting the implant

Following the procedure, your new tooth must be cared for and checked often, just like your other teeth. Follow your dentist’s post-surgery suggestions. Continue to brush and floss every day and visit your dentist for a checkup every six months, or more often if your dentist recommends it.

For more information about dental implants or to schedule an appointment, contact us at Now Dental. Now Dental is you full service dentist in Carmichael, CA, ready to help you before you need implants and we are there for you if you do!

Dental Implants: A Bounty of Benefits

by Elizabeth Huynh | Jul 15, 2022 | Restorative Dentistry

Dental Implants Or Dentures?

Before you consider dentures, take a good look at dental implants!

Even if you have several missing teeth, if most of your teeth are healthy, dental implants are generally a better path to a healthier smile over dentures! There are several issues with dentures that generally do not occur with dental implants. Dentures change the whole dynamic of your dental care. Dentures can be uncomfortable forever. Dentures may change what and how you eat, forever!

Before you have all your teeth pulled because of one or more missing teeth, consider dental implant technology! There is no coming back from dentures. While there are cases for dentures, be sure you have explored all options first. Dental implants are one of the more dependable options to replace one or more missing teeth! Of course the key to making a decision about if dental implants are a viable option is the existing state of you oral health.

As careful and conscientious as you may be when it comes to protecting your dental health, accidents and tooth damage can still occur. When it does, you will require the services of a qualified dentist in Carmichael, CA, to help you restore your smile and get back function you may have lost with a broken or missing tooth. There are many options within the realm of dental care for replacing lost teeth, but one of the best options for dental patients is to install dental implants.

Dental implants by Now Dental, Carmichael California are tooth-like structures made of porcelain or composite material that fill in the gaps left by lost or damaged teeth. Unlike traditional dental devices used to restore a natural appearance, dental implants don’t reply on bridges or dentures. Instead, a crown is attached to an implant that is set in the bone, which makes the implant function and look like a natural tooth. Dental implants offer a wide variety of benefits to patients, and, as a result, they have become increasingly popular. Keep reading to learn more about the many benefits offered by dental implants..

Improved Appearance
While the best dentures and bridges may do a great job of filling in the gaps created by lost teeth, they can’t beat the natural look of dental implants. That’s because dental implants are affixed to the jawbone just as the missing tooth once was. That means that a properly executed dental implant will be almost indistinguishable from your natural tooth.

More Comfortable
Dental implants not only look like natural teeth, but they also feel like natural teeth. They won’t slip or shift, and unlike bridges and dentures, there are no wire support structures there to press against delicate oral tissues. While in some cases bridges and dentures can fulfill the need for aesthetic improvement for dental patients, they aren’t necessarily comfortable to wear for extended periods.

Easier Eating
Implants chew just like real teeth because they are firmly implanted in the bone and don’t move when chewing force is applied. Bridges and dentures can help restore the primary function of your teeth by allowing you to chew again. However, chewing with bridges and dentures is far from flawless, as the devices can slip during chewing, which makes a simple act needlessly more difficult.

Ask Now Dental Carmichael, CA how a dental implant might be the right answer for your smile!

Clearer Speech
Implants don’t restrict or effect speech because they function exactly like natural teeth. Therefore, you will speak more clearly and more effortlessly than you would with bridges or dentures. No matter how well-made and well-fitted your bridge or dentures may be, they will likely impact your speech in some way. After all, the human mouth wasn’t designed to operate with a dental device in place.

Improved Oral Health
Dental implants offer a solution for lost teeth that won’t negatively affect your overall dental health nor cause you additional hassle in maintaining oral health. Implants don’t rely on surrounding teeth for support like some other dental devices. Also, implants aren’t removable once installed, and are simply maintained in the same way as natural teeth. Dentures and bridges are necessary in some cases, but they can have an impact on your surrounding teeth and make routine maintenance much more difficult. A bridge may be supported by surrounding teeth, for example, which results in alteration of natural teeth. Also, dentures and bridges are more difficult to clean and maintain than natural teeth and dental implants.

If you have missing or damaged teeth, consider the many benefits of dental implants when seeking dental care. If you are seeking dental care in Carmichael, CA, including dental implants, contact Now Dental at 916-966-2099 to schedule an appointment.