Tooth loss can detract from your daily quality of life in several ways. For example, you might feel self-conscious about your looks, and you could develop anxiety if you’re overly worried about being judged. Plus, once-basic tasks like eating and speaking become more challenging.
Fortunately, your dentist can rebuild your smile’s appearance and functionality with dental implants. Unlike dentures and dental bridges, these replacement teeth are surgically embedded in your jaw for added strength and stability. If you’re like many others, you may want to know how safe the procedure is before committing. Continue reading to learn more about it!
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are unique because they’re the only restorations that include placing a titanium pole directly into your jawbone to function like a root. This material is ideal because it’s strong enough to withstand the pressure of chewing, lightweight enough not to become burdensome, and biocompatible. Once placed, it takes about three to six months to recover because your jaw must produce enough new bone growth to fuse with the metal, making it a permanent part of your mouth.
A single rod can be capped with a ceramic dental crown to replace a single lost tooth, or two or more rods can anchor specially designed bridges and dentures to fill in larger gaps or rebuild entire arches.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Many experts consider dental implants the ideal way to replace missing teeth because of their unique advantages. The metal pole in your jaw functions like a root to keep the bone active and healthy, preventing the process of degeneration that occurs with tooth loss.
However, they’re also the only restorations that involve oral surgery, meaning they’re not necessarily the best treatment for everyone’s unique situation. You must consult your dentist before proceeding so they can examine your mouth to ensure no pre-existing issues, like tooth decay or gum disease, interfere with your results. They’ll also measure your jawbone to identify whether it’s thick enough to support your new tooth.
Your provider will also update your medical history and list any current medications or supplements to verify whether you’re healthy enough to undergo the procedure and avoid doing anything that could harm your overall well-being.
What Are the Risks of Dental Implants?
Dental implants have an incredibly high success rate of more than 90%, meaning you’re not likely to develop adverse effects if you follow your dentist’s post-op instructions. Furthermore, a recent meta-analysis of several studies has revealed that 4 out of 5 of these teeth are still in good condition 20 years after their initial placement.
However, as with any surgery, this treatment does come with certain risk factors. For example, bacteria in your mouth could penetrate the site and infect it. You might also experience nerve damage or injuries to surrounding teeth, blood vessels, or sinus cavities, depending on the placement of your implant.
Thankfully, many dentists today utilize advanced technology designed to help carefully place your restoration without issue!
About the Practice
Patients at Indy Dental Group benefit from a team of dentists dedicated to improving their quality of life by enhancing their oral health. They offer a comprehensive array of services to people of all ages, so your entire family receives the same top-quality care. They combine a compassionate approach with state-of-the-art equipment and specialized training to offer each step of the implant process in the office, including oral surgery. Then, they provide lifelike restorations to close the spaces in your smile seamlessly. You can request a consultation on the website or call one of their conveniently located offices near you!