Anyone facing tooth loss in Ajax will almost certainly have thought about having dental implants, especially as everything you read or hear about them will talk about how wonderful they are and how they can help restore your smile. However, understanding how dental implants work can be a slightly different matter and can soon become confusing.
You might have read or heard how dental implants replace missing tooth roots and wondered how they could support multiple missing teeth in Whitby. It is all down to how the implants react once in your jawbone and the power of a process called osseointegration.
Understanding How Natural Teeth Stimulate the Jawbone
When you have your natural teeth in Pickering, the tooth roots reach deep into the jawbone. They are connected to the jawbone by ligaments that are a little like tiny shock absorbers. Every time you bite down, it creates micro sensations transmitted into the crown of the tooth or the part you can see in the mouth, down through the tooth root and out into the surrounding bone. These micro sensations ensure the jawbone remains strong and healthy and that old bone cells are replaced as they die off.
How Dental Implants Can Replace Natural Teeth
When you lose a natural tooth, the crown and tooth root is removed, and if you choose to have a dental implant, the implant has a post or screw inserted into the jawbone. The implant screw is made from titanium or zirconia; both are highly biocompatible with the bone surrounding them. It doesn’t take long for new bone cells to grow on the implant posts and around them during osseointegration. The process ensures your implants become integrated and fused in the jawbone, creating anchorage points that are strong enough to support new teeth in Brooklin.
Osseointegration is also why you need to have strong enough bone to support the implants, which is why sometimes bone grafts in Oshawa are needed before implant placement. You might need a bone graft if you lost teeth quite some time ago, as your jawbone will have naturally resorbed. Bone grafts are also often necessary when teeth are lost because of periodontal disease, a bacterial infection that can destroy the jawbone. Strengthening the area with a bone graft ensures that once the implant is placed, it can successfully integrate with the surrounding bone.
What Happens Next?
Placing a dental implant in Newcastle is the first stage of treatment. The next stage is to attach an abutment that connects the implant post to the restoration. There are many types of abutments depending on the final restoration required. For example, the abutment required for an implant crown or bridge is quite different compared to the abutments used to support implant dentures. In the past, it was necessary to leave the implants to heal for several months undisturbed. Nowadays, it’s often possible to place a temporary restoration onto the implant soon after implant surgery. You then wear the restoration until osseointegration is complete, ensuring you can eat and talk comfortably and confidently. Treatment is finished once the final restoration is placed.
Caring for Dental Implants
Looking after dental implants in Newcastle isn’t hard and won’t take very long each day, but good oral care is essential to ensure your new implant teeth remain disease-free, strong and healthy. Your dental implant teeth should last for many years or for life with the proper care. Dental implant crowns and bridges must be brushed and flossed regularly, while implant-supported dentures are removable for easy cleaning. Regular dental checkups here at Durham Dental Solutions enable us to clean your implants professionally and check their overall condition.
