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Remember the excitement of losing a tooth when you were six years old? Well, that excitement fizzled somewhere on the road to adulthood. Losing a tooth as an adult is hardly a cause for celebration.
But there is a silver lining to the lost-tooth storm cloud—dental implants. Made from titanium posts that attach directly to the jawbone and anchor a permanent artificial tooth, implants are becoming increasingly popular restorations to replace one or a few teeth. Record numbers of Americans are paying upwards of $2000 out-of-pocket per implant. In fact, over the last ten years the number of patients receiving dental implants has tripled, according to an American Dental Association survey.
Implants are lifelike and practically indistinguishable from natural teeth, and they fit so securely that you won't even notice them when you chew and speak. In essence, they're the next best thing to your natural teeth. And implant dentistry has advanced to the point that dentists can place implants with the same confidence and skills they've used in the past for crowns and bridges.
"Implants today are user- and patient-friendly," said Scott D. Lingle, DDS. However, you still need to be sure that the dentist—or team of dentists—that you choose to place your implants has a good deal of experience and expertise in the procedure.
In many cases, one dentist places the implant and another makes and fits the replacement tooth. Both general dentists and specialists—oral and maxillofacial surgeons, prosthodontists or periodontists—can perform the procedure. But implant dentistry in itself is not an ADA-recognized specialty, so there is no uniform method for verifying a dentist's training and experience. It's up to you to screen any dental professionals you are considering.
How are implants placed?
Most implants are surgically placed directly into the jawbone. First, x-rays are taken to make sure there is adequate bone in the jaw to support the titanium cylinders. Then, models of your mouth are created so precise measurements can be made. Once the exact location of the implant has been pinpointed, it is surgically placed into the jawbone. This usually requires two procedures—one to place the titanium cylinders and another after the implants have healed completely to re-expose the cylinders and connect a post to the implant. The artificial tooth is then connected to the post.
Start-to-finish, the procedure can take as long as nine months to a year. The lengthy part is called osseointegration, which is the fusing of the implant to the bone tissue; this can take as long as six months.
Do implants work for everyone?
Even if you're the most patient person in the world, implants won't work for you if you aren't in good general health. You also have to have healthy gums and enough bone in your jaws to support the implants, and you must be willing to be meticulous about regular dental visits and your dental hygiene. Implants also aren't advised if you suffer from a chronic illness such as diabetes, as this can interfere with healing. And if you're a smoker, you're not a good candidate for implants; smokers are at greater risk for gum disease than non-smokers, and gum disease weakens the gum and bone tissue needed to support implants.
If you're interested in implants to replace a missing or lost tooth, your dentist will perform a thorough evaluation to determine if your health and lifestyle are conducive to this type of restoration.
Eat, smile and talk with confidence and comfort
People are living longer and healthier lives, and because more people are recognizing the benefits of preventive care, more people are keeping most of their teeth for a lifetime. But sometimes, despite the best of efforts, a tooth is lost. "As we age, we don't do many of the things we did when we were younger," Lingle said. "But the three things everyone wants to do throughout their lifetimes are eat, smile and talk. Implants can help patients do all three, and they appear very natural," he said. "Looking good has no age limit."
Sources - The American Dental Association
CAESY Patient Education Systems