You have long wanted a smile makeover but you want something that will last for a lifetime. Affordable dental implants is something you often hear about because it seems to be the answer to all kinds of tooth imperfection. Through this implant, your artificial dentures will have a better fit and will look more natural as well as have a better hold.
What is a Dental Implant?
Dental implant is an artificial tooth root made from titanium that can make your artificially restored tooth or teeth become more durable. You’ve read somewhere that some movie stars were able to improve their appearances when they underwent this kind of cosmetic surgery from reputable cosmetic dentists. They suddenly re-emerged with sparklingly white smiles, their teeth all spaced evenly and proportionately. Now, you are just dying to have that same kind of smile.
5 Things You should Know about Dental Implants
If you’re really dead set on having a smile makeover through dental implants, there are five important things about this dental procedure that you should know about. Check them out:
1. Dental implant is not eligible as a dental insurance benefit because it is classified as prosthetic cosmetic dentistry. It is important that you have sufficient funds to bankroll this dental expense because a single implant can cause as much as a thousand dollars. However, you may want to get the services of a highly reputable periodontist to make sure that your implant will be successful. So don’t be surprised if the cost of a single implant can be quoted for as much as $5,000. In fact, a whole set of teeth can even cost as much as $100,000.
To help you manage some of the costs, you could ask the dentist to provide you a pre-determined cost statement which will detail all procedures required together with their corresponding fees. Submit this statement to your dental insurance provider and they will give you an estimate of how much can be covered under your dental insurance policy.
2. The cosmetic surgery entails drilling, incisions, sutures and sometimes extraction if necessary. First off, you’re not supposed to suffer from dental phobia or you will be all stressed out going through the entire procedure. You should also have a strong threshold for pain because once the anesthesia wears off you will begin to smart from the pain of the incision, the discomfort of the swelling and the uneasiness of the bleeding. You will be prescribed with painkillers though in order to manage the pain.
It will take 7 days or more for you to heal and before the permanent replacement will be inserted. There are cases however where dental implants will be inserted right after a tooth extraction procedure is done. This is said to be a faster method since it will no longer require incisions. Not all periodontists recommend this type of dental implant procedure though. The patient may develop infections if the fresh open wound will be introduced with a foreign material. You could probably include taking a leave of absence from your work if you plan to go ahead with this restorative treatment.
3. Dental implants are suitable for persons with healthy jawbones and gums. Some dental implants failed because the bone tissues did not form enough tissue mass to make the dental insert secure and well anchored to the jawbone structure. In some cases it took more than four months for the implant to settle well with enough bone density. In addition, persons with gum defects or disorders are not good candidates for surgery because they tend to bleed easily and cannot heal well enough.
4. The periodontist who will perform the cosmetic surgery should have enough training and experience. This type of restorative treatment is considered quite complex because the procedure includes drilling into the jawbones. To do this procedure, he will make use of a CAD/CAM produced drill guide based on the software generated procedural plan to achieve the dental implant. This plan should be discussed with you, accompanied by proper visual images on how the restorative procedure will turn out.
5. Proper equipment and tools should be used in performing the steps involved in an implant treatment. Drilling of the bone should be done with exact precision by using a graduated set of tools. The drilling steps may require 3 to 7 stages and the drill to be used for each stage will vary in sizes to avoid applying too much heat to the bones.
If the dental implant is evaluated as successful within the 3 to 4 months time frame, then you must be more conscious and meticulous about your oral hygiene. Brush and floss your teeth regularly and carefully. In addition, avoid too hard or too chewy or sticky food to prolong the life of your dental implants. Quit with your smoking and heavy drinking because they tend to discolor and weaken dentures and bridges. Most of all don’t miss on your dental appointments so the dentist can check the condition of your cosmetic implant.