There are many reasons a dentist might need to extract a tooth. Sometimes it’s infected beyond saving. Sometimes the tooth has been crowned too many times and has no more structural integrity. Other times, injuries can cause teeth to come out rather traumatically! Thankfully, even if you lost your two front teeth in a skiing accident, no one has to know with today’s dental techniques! Things like dentures, crowns, bridges and other products can give you a smile you can be proud of. Another product that is getting a lot of information are dental implants. If you are missing a tooth, you might be wondering, is a dental implant right for me?
Implants exist in two pieces — the post and the actual false tooth that attaches to the post via a screw. Once an implant is in place, you can treat it like any other tooth, which makes it a great permanent option. In order to get a dental implant, a few things need to happen. First, you need to have enough bone in your jaw for the post to be securely screwed in. If your jaw bone has deteriorated due to aging or infection, then an implant might not be possible or feasible.
Second, you have to be in reasonably good health overall. Conditions like diabetes or smoking make it easier to get an infection during the surgery you’ll need to place the implant’s post. Additionally, these issues can lengthen healing time significantly.
Finally, you’ll need to commit to good dental care afterwards. Not only will this help your natural teeth, but it will keep your implant in good standing as well.
For answers to your questions about dental implants, contact us at Northside Family Dental.