Thinking About Getting a Dental Implant? Here’s Everything You NEED to Know

December 17, 2020April 26, 2022 Edwin Patterson 0 Comments

Well, you’ve got a lost tooth. Guess you’ll have to replace it as soon as possible because things like this can never be left unattended.

To restore any tooth, there are several solutions like bridges, fixed partial denture, resin-bonded restoration, or tooth implant.

By the end of this, you’ll know why dental implants are a superior choice when it comes to replacing a tooth or even multiple teeth.

So if you’re thinking about getting a dental implant, you don’t need to look any further than this post. Here’s everything you need to know…

Dental Implants VS Dental Bridge

When you have a dental loss and have to decide between getting an implant or a bridge, you might get lost in thoughts a bit, not knowing which is best for you.

Well, in that case, your dentist can definitely help you make the best choice according to your individual needs. Also, if you have slightly crooked teeth, you may need to get metal or invisible braces like Invisalign as prescribed by your dentist.

However, in the end, the decision is yours.

Let’s make it easy for you with this simple comparison:

(First, keep in mind that both methods can give you good results in terms of function and cosmetics)

Dental Implants:

Dental implants have become an increasingly popular treatment for replacing any missing tooth.

Implanting an artificial tooth in the area of the extracted one will help to keep the bone and soft tissues at an optimal level and prevent bone loss from happening.

Plus, when you choose dental implants, you are protecting your healthy teeth. Because they won’t be affected by the whole procedure. Unlike bridges, where you have to adjust the shape of teeth around the lost one to place the bridge.

Dental Bridge:

In some cases, a bridge might be the only solution if you have periodontal diseases that might destroy so much bone around the tooth. In this case, the implant procedure is impossible, and the only answer here is dental bridges.

However, if the two treatments are applicable it’s better to choose the implant.

Wondering why? Let’s jump right into it:

When you decide to replace the missing tooth with a bridge, the two teeth around that particular tooth have to be prepared and reshaped even if they are healthy. That is one of the worst points about bridge treatment.

What’s even worse is that they cause damages to the dental bones over time due to having no stimulation, which will make it start to resorb.

This will affect your look, your dental health, and will force you to change the bridge and re-adjust more teeth to avoid bigger damages and maintain a beautiful look.

So, we can safely say that a dental implant is an ideal choice to replace a missing or damaged tooth while still maintaining the natural structure of the remaining teeth.

Dental Implant Procedure. How it All Goes Down:

(Let’s keep in mind that dental implants are designed to naturally blend with your teeth in terms of shape, color, and a few more aspects. Allowing you to confidently smile, chew, and speak)

You might want to get a quick review of the steps. No need to be stressed-out.

You will find all the main steps of the procedure that dental implants go through below…

You will have your gums and jawbones checked by your dentist before anything else. You need healthy gum and strong bones to support the dental implant.
Sometimes you might need a bone graft or a sinus lift before placing the implant to make it stronger and healthier.
Here’s where the procedure starts… Dentists start by removing the damaged tooth. However, if the tooth is missing, they will just skip this step.

Implants are surgically placed into the jaw bone.
The jaw bone grows around the implant and holds it in place.
Waiting for the implant to be fully integrated before attaching the replacement tooth.
Then, a rounded thing that looks like a screw (an Abutment) is placed to connect the crown to the implant.

Finally, the customized artificial tooth is placed to naturally blend with your healthy teeth.

How to Maintain Your New-Found Smile Healthy?

Don’t freak out if a bit of bleeding and pain happens that’s perfectly normal. You will feel better and the bleeding will stop within 2 days maximum, leaving you with a beautiful and healthy smile to brag about.
Don’t rinse your teeth for the first 24 hours.
Don’t put any pressure on the outside part of your face where the surgical procedure happened because it might affect the way it heals.

Don’t smoke or drink things like coffee, tea, or juice for the first week to get the best results. Eliminate smoking from your life if you can for the long-term health of your teeth.
Be a couch potato for 5 days! Don’t even think about sport and exercise for those five days. Don’t even worry about it. You can gradually go back to exercising later.

Don’t eat or drink anything hot for the first 15 days. And make your food soft to avoid pain and damages.
You can gently apply cold packs covered with a cloth on the outside of your face around the surgical area for the first 24 hours. Apply it for 20 minutes, then remove it for another 20. Repeat this procedure several times if you want to ease the pain.
Maintain the health of the dental implant with a regular dental cleaning, paired with proper oral hygiene practices. (Use a soft brush to clean your teeth twice a day at least)
Visit your dentist every 3 months. Make it part of your routine if you want to maintain the dental implant for the longest time possible.