4 Little-Known Facts About Dental Implants

Dental implants can be a great way to fix your smile. Wondering if dental implants are right for you? As you do your research, you may be surprised by a few facts. Check out the following interesting tidbits:

1. You Can Get Same-Day Dental Implants

Traditionally, the dental implant process takes quite a while. The oral surgeon starts with a consultation. Then, they make a small incision, open your gum line, and insert a very small post into your jaw. At that point, they close up your gum and let the post ossify to the bone. Once the post has ossified, you return, and the dentist reveals the post and places a cap on it.

However, you don't have to get implants in this many steps. With same-day implants you still start with a consultation, but typically you only have to come back once after that. Your dentist can put in a single implant that features both the post and the crown. With this option, as the post ossifies, your new prosthetic teeth are already in place.

2. You Can Replace One or Multiple Teeth

You can get a dental implant, as described above, that only replaces a single tooth. However, you can also get dental implants that replace several teeth or even a whole mouthful of teeth. With this option, the implant features two posts on either side of the missing teeth. Then, a bridge of prosthetic teeth stretches between the posts.

3. You May Be Able to Get Implants With Deteriorating Jaw Bone

There are a variety of issues such as osteoporosis that can cause your jaw or other bones to deteriorate. Additionally, if you lose a lot of teeth, your jaw bone can also start to deteriorate. Although the implant needs to go into the jaw bone, you may be able to get implants with a compromised jaw bone.

Your dentist may be able to graft bone from another part of your body. Alternatively, if you need to replace multiple teeth, your dentist can identify the area where the bone is the strongest and densest. Then, they can put the posts into those spots and anchor the bridges onto those posts. They may also slant the post in a way that provides extra stability.

4. You Can Get Different Metals

Traditionally, implant posts are titanium, but if you have an aversion to titanium, you may be able to get a dental implant made with different materials. In particular, there are zirconium oxide implants.