Teeth are a very important part of the oral cavity. There are times when we end up losing our natural teeth due to trauma, caries, decay, gum diseases etc. It is best to replace the missing tooth. That replacement can be in various forms. The best form of replacement for your natural teeth is a dental implant.
What are dental implants?
As the name suggests, a dental implant is an artificial tooth root that is placed in the jaws as a replacement for any missing tooth structure. This artificial tooth structure bonds with the bone present in the jaws and integrates with the bone. Once that is done, a crown or a denture is placed over the implants to make it functional.
Are implants painful?
The whole procedure is done under local anaesthesia and hence it is not painful. Whenever the body undergoes any surgical procedure, there is post operative pain, which is taken care of by medications.
Who all can get implants?
If you have any chronic disease as uncontrolled diabetes or a chronic heart condition, implant placement is questionable. If you are healthy and have sufficient bone present in the jaws, you are fit to get implants.
How are dental implants better than any other form of tooth replacement?
.Good functionality: The implants are placed inside the bone and they behave like a natural tooth after sometime.
- Longer life: if placed well, implants last for a long time and they do not need replacement soon.
- Greater comfort: They are fixed and need not to be removed everyday like dentures and hence they give a better comfort to the patient.
- Preservation of the adjacent tooth structure:
Whenever a fixed bridge is provided to the patient, the adjacent teeth are compromised, but in implants only the missing tooth is replaced without salvaging the adjacent teeth.
So if you have missing teeth and are looking for replacement, you should consider dental implants and consult your doctor for the same.
