What You Need to Know About Dental Implants

Losing a tooth or teeth is an issue that many Americans face—whether it happens from natural decay, an accidental injury, or gum disease. And while bridges or dentures used to be the only solution to replace missing teeth, dental implants have become more and more popular.

And while you may have heard about dental implants, what do you really know about them? Victory Dental is committed to educating you about various aspects of dentistry so that you’re well informed and can feel confident about your dental health. So today on the blog, we thought we’d talk about dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are placed into your jawbone by a dentist. These implants will become a base for crowns (prosthetic teeth that will rest atop of that base). Dental implants can help you have a natural smile no matter what kind of decay or damage your teeth have undergone, and they’ve been used successfully for over 30 years in the world of dentistry.

For many people, ordinary dentures or bridges just don’t work due to the nature of their jaw structure, sore spots in the mouth, and over various factors. And some bridges need to be attached to other teeth, which can cause issues down the road if your bite shifts or you have teeth that are decaying or damaged again. In many cases, then, dental implants will be placed in the mouth to form a firm, permanent base in the jaw for your crowns. This adds a lot of stability that otherwise can’t be attained through other means.

Dental implants are extremely strong because they’re made out of materials like titanium, porcelain, and zirconia. People also tend to love dental implants because they feel so much like natural teeth—unlike dentures or bridges. Because your crowns are connected to your jaw through the dental implant base like a natural tooth would be, you feel like you have teeth that meld into your mouth like normal; you can eat, drink, smile, etc., and feel completely natural.

However, dental implants are usually more expensive than other techniques like dentures or bridges, and insurance companies don’t cover much of the cost.

What Is the Process Like for Dental Implants?

Your dentist will first embed a screw into your jaw, creating a long-term rooted solution in your bone. These screws will bond with your natural bone and become permanent. Next, your dentist will connect each crown to each screw using what is called an abutment, which holds the crowns in place. Crowns are always customized to fit your jaw and blend into your natural teeth, and once you’ve adjusted to the dental implants, you won’t notice a difference at all from your natural teeth.

If this sounds interesting to you or you have other questions about dentistry, then always know Victory Dental is just around the corner to help you out! Contact us today and we’ll get all of your questions answered.