Losing one or more permanent teeth due to gum disease, injury, or tooth decay can negatively impact the appearance and function of your smile. Modern dental implants offer an effective solution for permanently replacing missing teeth. This article will explain what dental implants are, their benefits over other options, the step-by-step implant procedure, the costs involved, who makes an ideal candidate, and how to care for implants properly.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots surgically inserted into the jawbone to hold a replacement tooth or bridge in place. They provide stable, long-term support for man-made porcelain crowns meticulously matched to the color and shape of natural teeth. With the strategic fusion of dental science and advanced engineering, implants restore coveted aesthetics and essential oral functions, allowing patients to speak, bite, chew, and smile with total confidence once again.
Benefits of Dental Implants
Compared to traditional tooth replacement solutions like removable partial dentures or fixed bridges anchored to adjacent teeth, modern dental implants offer superior advantages:
Improved Appearance
Custom-milled ceramic crowns flawlessly replicate the original neighboring teeth’ size, shape, and shade for naturally beautiful, vibrant smiles. No metallic clasps, plastic bases, or artificial gums are necessary.
Enhanced Functionality
Implant-supported crowns deliver the same secure bite force, chewing capacity, and speaking ease as strong natural teeth without slippage or restrictions. Patients enjoy all foods again.
Durability
The fused titanium and bone integration of implants prevent bone erosion over decades of use, exceeding the longevity of other options that require repeated repairs or replacements. Properly cared for implants last 25-30 years.
Improved Oral Health
Unlike traditional bridges, which require shaving down adjacent teeth, implants preserve natural tooth structure. Easy brushing and flossing promote gum health and avoid issues from trapped food debris.
Boosted Confidence
Restored facial esthetics and dental functions through implants eliminate self-consciousness over unsightly gaps or uncomfortable loose dentures, allowing smiling, laughing, and engaging socially without embarrassment.
Improved Bone Health
The embedded titanium integrates with the jawbone, preventing gradual bone loss after extractions. This helps sustain youthful facial contours and avoid sunken cheeks from bone loss.
Types of Dental Implants
Endosteal Implants
Most commonly used, endosteal or “in the bone” implants are surgically embedded into the jawbone structure, mimicking tooth roots. After healing, they permanently fuse to the jaw. Custom-fabricated replacement teeth are securely attached to the top portion.
The Dental Implant Procedure
The precise protocols vary per dental implant type selected and placement case specifics. However, the general multi-step process after initial consultation includes:
Consultation and Planning
Following a detailed oral examination, x-rays, and computer imaging analysis to map the implant placement strategy, considering nerve locations, available bone quality, etc., temporary dentures may be provided while custom permanent options are fabricated later, after full healing.
Implant Placement Surgery
Under local anesthesia, the periodontist surgically embeds sterile titanium implant screws through small incisions into the maxillary or mandibular bones mimicking natural tooth roots. Healing caps are placed while the jawbone gradually osseointegrates or fuses to the metal over 2-6 months, stabilizing implants.
Healing Period
Ongoing bone growth securing implanted screws in place may last several months. Temporary dentures aid basic functions in the interim. You’ll return for monitoring during this period until fusion integration gets confirmed via X-rays, signaling permanent bonding with bone.
Abutment Placement
The delivery stage commences once implants fully stabilize. Abutments or small connector parts get placed on embedded metal anchors poking above the gumline. Impressions are collected to design and meticulously fabricate permanent ceramic crowns and bridges mimicking natural tooth form and color.
Crown Placement
In the final step, roughly 4-6 months after initial surgery, custom-generated tooth prosthetics are securely affixed over well-integrated abutments offered as single crowns, bridges, or full-arch restorations. Follow-up visits allow periosteal tissue to mature around the appliance.
Who is a Candidate for Dental Implants?
To undergo successful implant treatment, certain qualifying criteria concerning overall health, oral health, adequate jawbone quality, and tobacco habits apply:
Overall Health
Stable systemic health without uncontrolled chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or immune disorders that interfere with extended healing periods. Such issues increase infection risks and slow tissue regeneration. Hence, clearance by a physician is needed.
Jawbone Health
Sufficient natural jawbone depth, width, and density are verified via CT scans to allow full implant contact stability and withstand chewing forces over long-term use. A lack of bone requires grafting procedures before placement surgery.
Smoking
A firm commitment to quitting smoking given its recognized interference with osseointegration and higher failure rates from cellular damage that impairs the complex bone fusion process over titanium.
Caring for Dental Implants
Lifelong proper oral hygiene and dental upkeep preserve long-term health and performance of implants similar to natural teeth:
- Brush implants twice daily using soft bristle brushes at 45-degree angles away from the gums to remove food debris without abrasion.
- Floss implant-supported bridges daily to clear trapped particles and avoid plaque accumulation.
- Attend regular dental checkups for professional cleanings and ensure no underlying issues from peri-implantitis that jeopardize bone support.
Dental implants mimic natural teeth functioning for decades by maintaining diligent care routines.
Cost of Dental Implants
The cost of dental implants depends upon several components:
- Number of missing teeth being replaced – single tooth, multiple teeth, or full upper/lower arches
- Scans, imaging, planning, guide stents expenses
- Implant system brand and material – premium providers like Straumann or budget imports
- Bone grafting is needed if insufficient natural bone present
- Abutment and crown types are chosen – ceramic, hybrid, etc
On average, a single implant may cost $2500-4000 AUD. Complete full-mouth restorations using all on 4 with as few as four strategically angled implants supporting entire top or bottom arches with acrylic bonded bridges range from $17,000-$30,000 AUD on average.
While implants demand greater upfront costs than conventional tooth replacement methods like dentures ($1000-$4000 range), their longevity of 20-30 years versus 5-7 year average lifespans for basic removable options better justifies investment in this permanent solution able to restore complete smile function and aesthetic beauty. Regional costs vary, so directly requesting implant expense estimates from accredited dentists remains ideal.
Conclusion
Modern dental implants offer tremendous benefits, improving oral health, function, aesthetics, and quality of life compared to traditional tooth replacement options, which demand continual maintenance. Implants boost confidence levels by replacing missing roots for secure support of natural-looking and acting prosthetic teeth or bridges that function like healthy originals, allowing proper chewing, speaking, and laughing without self-consciousness over unsightly gaps. Despite higher initial costs, their lifelong usage, low maintenance, and sheer comfort-elevating capabilities make dental implants a sound investment in restored smiles.