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A dental implant is a permanent way to replace a missing tooth. Dental implant can be used to replace single teeth or all your teeth. This is not a low-cost alternative, however, but it can provide enormous benefits to people who have lost teeth through accidents, decay or gum disease.
What is Dental implant?
Dental implant is a titanium screw ( copy of the tooth root) which is surgically positioned into the jaw bone below the gum line that allows the dentist to mount replacement single or multiple teeth into that area. Dental implant is the latest permanent way to replace missing teeth. It is not a low-cost treatment option, but the outcome of the treatment in terms of appearance, self-esteem and over-all health is worth the cost.
What are the benefits of Dental Implants?
There are many advantages to dental implants, including:
Dental implant look and feel like your own teeth. And because they are designed to fuse with jaw bone, they prevent deterioration of the jawbone caused by loss of teeth, so your face retains its natural shape.
With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth causing you to mumble or slur your words. Dental implants are securely anchored; there is no slipping or movement and allow you to speak with confidence.
As an alternative to dental bridgework, dental implants eliminate the need to grind down neighbouring healthy teeth
Dental implant does not get cavities or decay like natural teeth though it is not superior to natural teeth
Natural biting and chewing capacity is greatly enhanced with Dental implants and they function like your own teeth, allowing you to eat your favourite foods with comfortably and without pain.
Dental implants eliminate the embarrassing inconvenience of removing dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place.
More confident: With dental implants, you will never need to cover your mouth when laughing, smiling, or speaking. You can eat your favourite foods without pain and taste every bite. You will look better, feel better, and live more confidently.
Improve your digestion of food and overall healthby getting dentlal implants. Without teeth your food may not crush and cause gastric problems like acidity and indigestion. With dental implant you will see great change in digestion and overall health of your body.
Dental Implant Procedure
At first visit dentist will evaluate your oral condition like your gum, supporting jaw bone, and surrounding area. Dentist will read your cbct (CT scan of jaw) this will help to understand the structure and density of the bone where the dental implant is going to be place.
Time duration required for dental implant surgery depends on how many implants are to be place at a time along with complexity of surgery.
On an average, it takes for 30 mints for single implants and 2-3 hours for full mouth implants.
Before starting the procedure dentist will numb the area with anaesthetic solution so you will not feel any pain during dental implant procedure. Now with help of surgical kit and other instruments dentist will carefully place the dental implant in a jaw.
You may have some stitches to close the surgical site and some medication to prevent infection and pain
Healing time of dental implant
In conventional implant usually dentist will ask to wait for 3 to 4 months. During this period your dental implant is completely fixes with jaw bone (osteointegrate). This is a natural healing period we have to follow the biology of bone.
After healing phase is over now the dentist will take impression to fabricate new implant tooth crown that fixed over your implant
Some implants like basal implant work on the principle of Osteofixation in that case you may get your teeth immediately within 3 to 5 days. This is a new concept and usually most dentists follow the time tested conventional implantology.
If person does not have sufficient jaw bone, Basal implants might be solution for them.
Teeth replacement Options with dental implant
Replacing All of Your Teeth- If you are missing all of your teeth, an implant-supported full bridge or full denture can replace them.
Replacing Several Teeth- If you are missing several teeth, implant-supported bridges can replace them. 
Replacing a Single Tooth– if you are missing a single tooth, one implant and a crown can replace it.
Implant supported denture– This is a cost effective option for full mouth implant and fixed regular denture push button mechanism
Who is the Best candidate for dental implant?
Generally speaking all healthy people with healthy mouth are good candidates for dental implant placement. They also must be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental visits.
First we evaluate your jaw bone and gum health along with certain tests like vit-d3 level and bleeding disorder to ensure safety of surgical procedure.
If you smoke heavily or have a illness, we will evaluate your situation to see if implants are suitable for you.
Cost of dental implant
Cost of dental implant is varying from case to case. Some implant procedure may require additional surgical treatment like bone graft or sinus lifting. This will add extra cost to your treatment
dental implant cost at sanjivani dental clinic Rajkot is ranges from 15000-30000 INR
However, In Country like India Implants treatment is much cheaper compared to western countries
How long does the entire dental implant process take?
Dental implants treatment is performed in several stages. The first stage is a detailed examination and formulation of treatment plan. The second stage is having the implants placed surgically.
The third stage is placing the healing abutments and the final stage is applying the prosthetic teeth, or crowns.
This entire process can take anywhere from 3 months to 1 year or even more, depending on your individual healing time and compliance with treatment.
Frequently ask questions
What is the best age for dental implants?
infact there is No Upper Age Limit for Dental Implants
Dental implants can be as effective in older people, whether 60 or 90 years old, and heal with a similar predictability as in younger patients. Infect older people have more missing teeth than younger people and this treatment is well suited for all age groups starting 20 years onwards.
Why replace missing teeth?
It is essential to replace missing teeth because failure to do so causes many disturbances in the mouth like bone loss in that area, imbalance in biting, difficulty in chewing, migration of adjacent &opposing tooth, cheeks sink in, poor gum health. Some systemic problems like indigestion, gas, acidity also can occur due to missing teeth.
Are dental implants a good idea?
Dental implants, in present times are the best possible solution for replacing missing teeth as compared to bridges or dentures. A dental implant looks feels and functions almost like a natural tooth.
Is there is any alternative to dental implants?
Dental implants is most natural way to replace missing tooth, but certain condition implant may not suitable and may have to shift other options like dental bridge, partial or full denture, or semi fixed prosthesis.
How painful is getting a dental implant?
During the dental implant procedure, there shouldn’t be pain as you will be given anaesthesia. However, as the numbness wears off, you will most likely start to feel some discomfort. But your dentist will prescribe you with the required dose of some medicines.
So essentially you should not worry about pain. Most patients tell us that implants involve less pain than a tooth extraction.
How long after dental implants can I eat normally?
Once implant crown is in place one can start eating hard food after 10-14 days. First few days would require you to be on a soft-diet, something that you don’t have to chew much. If you feel unusual or crown is high on biting visit your dentist to do necessary correction, once you feel normal you can start regular diet
Do you need antibiotics after dental implant?
Dental implant is a surgical procedure and your doctor will prescribe you some antibiotics to keep away from infection on or around the implant.
Can a dental implant be removed?
Yes, only your dentist can remove the dental implant. For the implant to be removed, it needs to have failed. The possible reasons for failure are many.
What can cause a dental implant to fail or go wrong?
Dental implants can fail for a variety of reasons, most common and preventable reasons being infection and bone loss. This infection is usually the result of poor dental hygiene following a dental implant procedure, and it can lead to further bone loss and implant failure.
Do implants set off metal detectors?
Dental implants are made of Titanium metal and are not magnetic. So, they do not set off alarms at airport security.
How long does it take for gums to heal after dental implants?
In a straightforward case, many dentists will want to leave the gum to heal and the implant to fuse with the jawbone, before fitting permanent, replacement teeth. There is usually a period of healing lasting from six weeks to six months. The upper jaw usually takes longer time, due to softer bone.
Can implant be done immediately after extraction?
If one has sufficient bone around the tooth extraction site to stabilize the dental implant and if the site is free of infection, it is possible to place an implant immediately. Infact, now a days more and more immediate implants are done as it saves the healing time.
How do I know if my implant is infected?
Signs of an infected dental implant are similar to that of gum disease. Implant can get Loose or wobbly.
Gums can turn red or puffy around the implant. Patient may start experiencing bad breath. Pain or discomfort is also felt by some patients. Highly infected cases may show pus discharge.
Can you have all teeth replaced with implants?
If all your teeth are missing, an implant supported full bridge or a full mouth denture can replace them. Dental implants can replace all your natural teeth; this ensures that your bone is better preserved.
When is implant not a suitable treatment?
Implants are not suitable in cases of untreated periodontitis, uncontrolled diabetes, poor oral hygiene, because of the risk of failure due to infection.
Certain medical conditions also should be taken into account before implants like, blood clotting disorders.
Smoking also doesn’t support implants because of risk of loosening of implants. Dentist will evaluate your general condition and they will guide you for particular case.
Does the body ever reject an implant?
Very rarely does a person’s body reject a dental implant. The jawbone readily accepts the implant, and the few rejections that do occur are caused by rare allergies to the titanium that makes up the implant.
Another reason for implant failure is because of poor oral hygiene after surgery. Without good oral care, natural teeth fail and eventually fall out. A dental implant is no different. Taking care of your teeth, even the implants, prevents gum destruction.
How long will dental implants last?
Dental implants last many years if taken care of properly. They can even last a lifetime for patients who regularly brush, floss, and follow the dental recommendations made by the dentist.
While a dentist cannot guarantee the long-term success of a dental implant, the dentist can provide guidelines and suggestions to follow for better care of your teeth.
How do I take care of my dental implants?
You don’t need to take any extra care for dental implant maintenance, you have to perform regular brushing and flossing twice daily. Also regular dental visit to ensure that implant is not getting any problems
If tooth cleaning is poor, bacteria will build up on the implant surface and cause inflammation surrounding the implant
If left untreated, this can progress to a more dangerous condition called Peri-implantitis, in which there is inflammation and bone loss around the implant. Eventually, the implants become lose and fail
Only precaution you need to keep in mind is avoid eating hard food an object on implant tooth, this might cause fracture of connecting screw or loosening of crown or implant.
If you have habit of tooth grinding or bruxism dentist may give you protective night guard to protect from heavy load.
Does smoking affect dental implants?
Dental implants in smokers are four times as likely to fail when compared to implants in non-smokers. Smoking leads to gum recession and disease, making the implant structure weaken over time. Dentists recommend that patients with dental implants avoid smoking or chewing tobacco.
Can my child get dental implants?
Yes, dental implants are an excellent and smart long-term solution for children who have lost permanent teeth due to injury or accident. It’s advisable to consult with a dental implant expert as soon as possible after the teeth are lost.
However, in most circumstances, the dentist will wait to perform the procedure until your child’s facial growth and development has been completed. Generally, this occurs around age 16 for girls and age 18 for boys.
