The American College of Prosthodontists estimates that roughly 178 million Americans are missing one tooth or more, while roughly 40 million don’t have any teeth.
For people who have dental problems such as these, it can be hard to feel confident with their smiles. Luckily, having a smile you’re proud of is something that is achievable and in your control.
Thanks to advancements in dental implant surgery, people who have problems with their teeth can get durable and reliable tooth replacements that look completely natural.
Missing teeth shouldn’t scare you off from pursuing a new relationship, a promotion at work, or anything else that takes confidence. Dental implants in Camarillo can help you to restore that perfect, beautiful smile.
Read on to learn more about the various benefits of dental implants!
How Dental Implants Work
Dental implants are artificial teeth designed to look like natural, real teeth. This type of implant consists of three separate pieces. These pieces are a screw, an abutment, and a crown.
• The implant is actually a titanium screw that is placed into the gum tissue. In roughly six months, the screw will fuse with your jawbone permanently, thereby replacing the roots of the missing tooth. The screw will create a solid base that will support the other sections of the implant.
• The abutment is then placed on top of the screw. It will allow the crown to be connected to the implant.
• The crown is the top part of the implant. It’s what you will be able to feel and see. The crown is the part that resembles the look of an actual tooth and will serve the same function as a natural tooth, as well.
The three-step system for dental implant surgery is what makes it different from a bridge or a set of dentures. Each individual tooth implant is uniquely designed to replace a specific tooth and it’s done so the implant looks as natural and realistic as possible.
One of the biggest benefits of dental implants is that it works for a single tooth, multiple teeth, or even all of the teeth in your mouth.
Someone who is experienced with dental implant surgery can evaluate your individual situation to provide you with the optimal solution to your specific oral needs.
Are Dental Implants Right for You?
There are a number of factors that go into determining whether you might be a good candidate for dental implants in Camarillo. There’s no one “perfect” candidate for dental implant surgery.
That said, anyone who wishes to have dental implant surgery must meet these minimum requirements:
Healthy Gums
If you don’t have healthy gums or if you show signs of existing gum disease, then you might not qualify for this specific type of treatment. Other dental options that may be open to you instead include planing or root scaling. Laser gum therapy may also improve the health of your gums enough to then make you an eligible candidate for dental implants.
Good Bone Density
Remember that a titanium screw is implanted directly into the jawbone, serving as the implant’s base. The screw serves as the support structure of the implant, and it has to be strong enough to secure the crown. If you don’t have sufficient bone density, there won’t be enough support for the titanium screw. If you lack sufficient bone density, bone grafting could be a solution to help you to have sufficient bone in place to undergo a dental implant.
General Health
As is the case with any surgery, there are some health conditions that would make it risky for you to get dental implants. This would include things like pregnancy, heavy smoking, steroid use, or certain kinds of chronic diseases. Depending on your situation, you may be able to adjust your habits to improve your health so that you can get dental implants.
Top Benefits of Dental Implants
There’s a reason why dental implants are often labeled the “gold standard” for tooth replacement. Dental implants can help people transform their lives.
While there are numerous benefits to dental implants, these three are among the best:
1. They Help You Talk and Eat.
Lost adult teeth can impact a person’s lifestyle in any number of ways. From a practical standpoint, tooth loss can negatively impact the ability to talk or eat without complications. Even losing one tooth could affect the way that you chew or pronounce words.
2. They Make Your Smile Full.
Tooth loss can significantly impact a person’s confidence because it results in an incomplete smile. No matter whether the teeth you lose are in the front of your mouth or the back, lost teeth can make you self-conscious when you talk or smile. Dental implants will replace any missing teeth and help you to achieve a complete smile once again. Dental implants look realistic and natural; no one will be able to suspect that you were once missing a tooth.
3. They Protect Bones.
Teeth aren’t all about function and aesthetics. Teeth play an essential role in strengthening and stimulating bone that lies underneath. If you lose a tooth, you also lose the ability to protect the bone in the area. Dental implants help to restore the support that your jawbone requires. They help to further the growth of bone, and they prevent bone loss in the future at the same time.
How to Prepare for Dental Implant Surgery
There are multiple steps that have to be undertaken in any dental implant surgery.
Before surgery, an in-depth consultation will be held between you and your dentist. The dentist will take impressions and X-rays of your mouth and then conduct a thorough examination. Following this, your dentist will discuss potential reconstruction and treatment options.
If you aren’t the perfect candidate for dental implant surgery now, you may be able to undergo other treatments first to prepare you for surgery. This could include treatment for gum disease, tooth extractions, or bone grafting. Once your mouth heals from these procedures, you can proceed with the dental implant surgery.
Step one to the surgery is the insertion of titanium implants into the jawbone. Your dentist will use anesthesia so you don’t feel any pain during the procedure. The length of time taken to perform the procedure depends on the number of teeth that are being replaced.
Crowns can’t be fitted until the implants fully fuse with the jawbone. Because of this, your dentist could end up recommending a temporary bridge or denture to use while your mouth heals. This prevents you from having to go without teeth while the full fusion is taking place.
Full osseointegration –or the process of your jawbone fusing with the implant — will take anywhere from three to six months to occur. During this time, it is very important to follow the dentist’s recommendations for recovery. If you ignore these instructions, you could potentially compromise the new implants. You could even cause them to completely fail.
It’s essential that osseointegration is successful, as the titanium screw will replace the lost roots of your teeth. The screw is a critical part of the dental implant, providing a base on which the abutment and crown will sit.
Once that process is fully complete, your dentist will insert the abutment and crown that will finalize the makeover of your smile.
What to Do Once You Decide to Get Dental Implants
Once you’ve made the decision that dental implants are right for you, you need to find a dental specialist who is experienced in the procedure. Not all dentists can do this work, though.
The staff at Woodcreek Dental is one of the most experienced teams in dental implants in Camarillo. Dr. Mike Wygant holds a fellowship with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and completed a year-long externship in implantology. You can trust Dr. Wygant and his team to use cutting-edge techniques to deliver beautiful dental implants.
Take the first step to achieving a healthy smile by scheduling a consultation with Woodcreek Dental – just call (805) 482-6389 today.
