When you lose a tooth or two over the years, you don’t have to cope with having a less then perfect smile. Dental implants provide you with a way to replace missing teeth in order to restore your natural smile and help you feel more confident. What can you expect when you get dental implants? If you’re considered a good candidate for them, keep the following in mind.
Initial Visit
During your initial visit, your dentist will make sure that dental implants are right for you. Since these consist of titanium posts that fuse with your jawbone, you’ll need to have healthy gum tissue and enough bone to support them. If you don’t have enough bone, your dentist might recommend bone grafts.
Implants and Dental Impressions
If you’re getting dental implants, your next visit will involve having posts placed inside your jawbone. These posts will end up holding your artificial or replacement teeth in place. Your dentist will also make dental impressions of your teeth, which helps ensure that your replacement teeth look as close to your original teeth as possible. You’ll need to wait several weeks for your jawbone to heal before going back to finish the dental implant procedure.
Replacement Teeth
When your jawbone is completely healed, you’ll go back to your dentist to get your replacement teeth. Your dentist will place a connector piece on top of the dental implant, then put your replacement tooth on this piece. Your replacement teeth should stay firmly in place. Your dentist will make sure that these teeth are secure and feel comfortable before you leave. Keep in mind that you can have adjustments made over time if needed.
For more information on dental implants, please contact Michael J. Tupta, DDS, Inc. to schedule an appointment.