Whether young or old, missing teeth can be an embarrassing and difficult problem for all people. Whether it was an accident, decay or simply old age that caused the teeth to fall out, it can be a devastating thing to have to endure because of all the inconveniences it comes with.

Fortunately, through advancements in dentistry, patients are able to enjoy all-on-4 or individual dental implants. These solutions enhance chewing capacity, look more presentable, and even add some strength to the jaw. As a result, patients are able to go back to enjoying their lives as soon as possible.

Given below is some information that can be insightful if you’re seeking permanent dental solutions:

What are implants?

A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is embedded directly into the jaw bone in the place of a tooth’s root, and there are two reasons why titanium is used. The first is that it is incredibly strong and human bone tissue loves to grow around and attach to this substance with ease. The second reason is that titanium is seldom rejected by the human body and therefore it is a prime choice for all medical procedures involving bone.

These implants are used to support crowns, bridges or dentures. In the event of a single missing tooth, a crown is connected to an abutment which is connected to the implant. This crown looks exactly like the patient’s missing tooth and is a very convincing match to the surrounding teeth. If a few teeth are missing in a row, the dentist will have a bridge of teeth created for the patient, and this bridge is then attached to one or two implants which anchor it securely in place.

Dental crowns are used to cover dental implants or damaged teeth. While dental crowns may be used in the absence of an implant to cover a damaged or decayed tooth, implants are used to replace an entire tooth. Crowns are usually less expensive than dental implants, as they don’t require a complete tooth replacement. You can look up affordable dental crowns olympia (or something similar) to learn more about these dental procedures.

In the event that a patient wears dentures and is missing all of their teeth, there is an All-On-Four procedure where all the teeth can be secured to only 4 implants (two at the top and two at the bottom). Securing dentures make the life of those wearing them so much easier, giving them more confidence to laugh openly and eat whatever they like without the concern of the teeth falling out thus restoring a lot of self-esteem.

The final and most important benefit of dental implants (other than restoring the look and function of the teeth) is that it ensures a stable jaw bone for years to come. Once a tooth has come out, root and all, the jaw bone is no longer needed and the body begins to reabsorb it because it no longer has anything to cling to. But when a titanium implant is inserted into the jaw the bone can grow back thus stabilising the bone for as long as the titanium is in there.

The procedure

Once a patient is cleared for implant surgery the area that is going to be worked on is numbed and in the case of anxious patients, they may also be sedated. Once the local anaesthetic has taken effect, the dentist will cut open the gum to expose the bone and drill a small hole into this bone to insert the implant. Then the patient is stitched up once more and sent home with a temporary crown, bridge or denture to await the healing process which takes about 6 months. After 6 months the implant dentist can then secure the false tooth or teeth to the implant and the patient can continue their life with confidence.