Questions And Answers About Dental Implants

Dental implants are prosthetic devices that are engineered to replace the root of a tooth. The implant is therefore more stable than most tooth replacement devices. Instead of simply relying on adjacent teeth to stabilize the implant, it is stabilized by the jawbone of the patient.

If you are interested in receiving a dental implant you may not know what to expect from your procedure. Here are a few questions and answers about dental implantation to help clear things up:

How is a dental implant inserted into the bone?

A dental implant is drilled into the bone during an oral surgery procedure. Most implantations are performed in an outpatient setting.

What if your jawbone is not thick enough to support a dental implant?

If your jawbone density is insufficient to support a dental implant, your dentist may use specialized procedures such as a bone graft to alter the density of the bone.

A bone graft occurs when bone is taken from another area of your body or from a donor, such as a cadaver or a pig, and is added to the bone that is already present. When a bone graft heals and your dentist is confident that your thickened jaw bone can support the implant, he or she may move forward with your implant surgery.

What is a dental implant made of?

A dental implant is a rod or screw that is made of biocompatible metal such as titanium.

Does a dental implant require periodic replacement?

A dental implant should last a lifetime. However, if the implant becomes loose in the bone, the implant will fail.Still, a failed implant can be replaced by a new dental implant.

Are there ways to help prevent a dental implant failure?

There are various preventable ways that an implant can fail. An implant may fail due to infection. However, an infection may be averted by taking the prescribed antibiotics that your dentist will offer. In addition an implant patient may be more likely to develop an infection if they smoke, fail to control their blood sugar or drink excessive alcohol during the period surrounding his or her dental implant surgery.

In addition, an implant can fail due to instability that stems from large amount of bite pressure, such as that sustained from bruxism, which is nightly teeth grinding. A mouth guard can be used to protect the implants if a person suffers from this condition.

If you have additional questions about dental implant surgery, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your area, like http://elmafamilydental.com.