Dental Implants: respite from tooth problems
Dental implant procedure is an alternative to natural teeth. It was evolved in the early 1960s and from then Dental implants have proven to be an excellent option for people who need to replace teeth. Today, this advanced specialty procedure in dentistry has become a routine. Dental implants are safe, highly effective and are a comfortable way to replace your missing teeth. Dental implant treatment is completed in mainly two steps. In the first phase, there is a complete examination of mouth and teeth. A thorough medical and dental history of the patient is taken by a qualified dentist. This is done by a specialist called periodentist or an oral surgeon. As dental implants are intimately connected with the gum tissues and underlying bone in the mouth, X-rays and CT scan are to be produced, which will give the dentist a good idea of your bone density and the shape of your jaw. The implant procedure chosen depends on several factors, such as the patient’s dental health, the number of teeth involved etc. All these factors will also decide the total number of visits to the dentist all through the dental implant procedure and treatment period.
A slight sedation is given before surgery. A small incision is made in patient’s gums at the site where the implant is to be placed. This is succeeded by placement of the implant into the exposed jawbone. Implants that are positioned in the bone are called endosteal implants. These implants are normally made of titanium or a titanium alloy. After placement of the implant a cover screw is put in to prevent the gum and other debris from entering the implant. Shortly, the wound is closed and allowed to heal. In general, placements in the lower jaw need about three months to heal, while placements in the upper jaw need about six months to heal. After healing, the implant is uncovered in a second surgical procedure.