What are dental implants and how do they work?

What is the downside of dental implants?

How long does a dental implant last?

How much do implants cost?

How long does a dental implant procedure take?

Is dental implant painful?

Is it worth getting dental implants?

What is the success rate of dental implants?

The first thing to know about dental implants is that they are replacements for missing teeth, not replacements for teeth. If you are missing teeth or need to have a tooth extracted, your best choice is a dental implant, but dental implants will never be quite as good as your natural perfect teeth. It is important to know that dental implants are the best for teeth replacement, but teeth replacement itself should be avoided at all costs. As well, dental implants don’t last forever, the best dentists like to get about 15 years out of a dental implant before it needs to be replaced. So, keeping your natural teeth as long as possible is always the best course of action.

There are denture implants for complete or multiple teeth replacement and then there are single tooth implants for single tooth replacement. The best implant depends on the amount of bone that you have, the size of the missing space, and the patient’s overall health. Make sure to go to the best dentist in your neighborhood for the best dental implant results. The best dental surgeons will use the best materials and take the time to make sure you get a perfect dental implant.

The process is unfortunately very lengthy. If you still have the tooth that needs to be pulled, the first step is to have your dental surgeon extract the tooth and place a bone graft. Some general dentists are very good at this, and some general dentists prefer to refer this part to an oral surgeon. The dental extraction will be the most painful step; the extraction won't hurt during the procedure, but you can expect to have moderate pain for the next week or so. After the tooth is extracted, the patient needs to wait 3-6 months for the bone graft to harden and become integrated with the current bone. Once the bone graft is hard, a 3D x-ray is taken so that your dentist can choose the dental implant that will fit perfectly. The dental implant procedure itself is almost completely painless and only takes about 30 minutes or so from start to finish. The placement of the dental implant is much more pleasant and patient friendly than the extraction of the tooth. After the implant itself is placed, you need to wait another 3-6 months for the bone to fuse to the implant. After this happens, your dentist can finally create the dental crown to go on top of your dental implant, which will take 2-3 weeks usually. If you are missing one of your front teeth and it is a cosmetic dental case, then it will take 3-5 weeks to make the crown.

From start to finish a dental implant takes more than a year to complete and costs anywhere from $5,000-$10,000. While this is expensive and time consuming, most patients prefer dental implants over a dental bridge or a missing tooth. Being able to floss a dental implant makes it the best tooth replacement option that modern science and technology has to offer since dental bridges are notorious for being hard to clean and getting food caught underneath. The best advice that I have as a dentist in Huntington Beach is to stay up to date on your dental exams and to take care of your teeth so that you'll never need a dental implant. If your teeth start to crack, get them fixed and go to a dentist near you that specializes in TMJ disorders so that they can see if you are grinding or have a habit that is destructive to your teeth. Like most things in dentistry, prevention is always the best solution.