When Are Dental Implants Necessary?

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root (most natural looking and natural feeling) that is surgically placed into your jaw bone. As you heal, your implant will fuse itself to your natural jawbone to hold a replacement tooth or bridge or multiple teeth keeping facial structures intact.  Once the implant bonds with the jawbone, a small connector (abutment),  is placed on top of the dental implant to connect the implant to the replacement tooth or teeth. They are designed to blend with your other teeth so it becomes just like permanent tooth. They are typically made of titanium, a biocompatible material that is accepted by the body.

Benefits of Dental Implants

• As good as natural teeth- It improves appearance as it looks and feels, fits & functions like your own teeth.
• Good speech- With poor-fitting dentures, the teeth can slip within the mouth or loosen or fall out causing you to mumble or slur your words when you talk, eat or laugh. Teeth restored with dental implants function  just like your natural teeth.
• Great comfort- As they become part of you, implants eliminate the discomfort of removable dentures.
• Easy eating- Sliding dentures can make chewing difficult. You can bite naturally, eat your favourite foods with confidence and without pain.
• Improved self-esteem- As dental implants allow you to maintain the natural shape of your face, it can give you back your smile and help you feel better about yourself.
• Protects healthy teeth & improves oral hygiene- Dental implants don’t require reducing other teeth, as a tooth-supported bridge does. Because nearby teeth are not altered to support the implant, more of your own healthy teeth are left intact, improving long-term oral health. Individual implants also allow easier access between teeth, improving oral hygiene.
• Long lasting- Implants are very durable & more predictable than other treatments to repair or replace missing teeth and will last many years. Tooth-supported dental bridges only last five to seven years, and with proper care often more than 10 years, but at some point they may need to be replaced. While with good care, dental implants last a lifetime.
• Convenient- Dental implants eliminate the embarrassing inconvenience of removing dentures, as well as the need for messy adhesives to keep them in place. They allow you to keep your teeth where they belong, in your mouth.

Ideally who can get dental implants ?

Dental implant patients are all ages, and implants may be the right choice for anyone missing one, multiple, or even all of their teeth due to injury, defects, disease, infection, decay or any other reason.

Implants also are a great option for patients who don’t want the drawbacks of, or can no longer wear, removable dentures.

They can even be an option for adolescents after puberty when the jaw stops growing, typically around 16 for girls and 18 for boys.

An implant dentist in dental clinics in Delhi can determine if dental implants are right for you after a consultation that looks at your needs and considers your dental and medical history. Dental implant specialists in Delhi are doing a very efficient job of doing the replacement of missing teeth with dental implants.

In most cases, anyone healthy enough to undergo a routine dental extraction or oral surgery can be considered for a dental implant. Patients should have adequate bone and healthy gum tissues that are free of periodontal disease to hold the implant. They also must be committed to good oral hygiene and regular dental visits.

Heavy smokers, people suffering from uncontrolled chronic illnesses — such as diabetes or leukemia or heart disease  may interfere with healing after surgery. Using tobacco can also slow healing.  Patients who have had radiation therapy to the head/neck area need to be evaluated on an individual basis. These type of patients may not be good candidates for implants.

Types of Dental Implants

• Endosteal (in the bone): This is the most commonly used type of implant. These are surgically placed into the jawbone. Each implant holds one or more prosthetic teeth. This type of implant is generally used as an alternative for patients with bridges or removable dentures.
• Subperiosteal (on the bone): These are metal framework’s posts protruding through the gum, under, on or above the jawbone to hold the prosthesis. These types of implants are used for patients who are unable to wear conventional dentures and who have shallow bone height and cannot or do not want to undergo a procedure to rebuild it.

Dental implants also come in different sizes and heights, including standard and narrow (mini). Dental implant specialists in dental clinics in Delhi and dental clinics in India are trained to help you determine what option is right for you depending on the tooth or teeth that need to be replaced.

Care for Dental Implants

Teeth restored with dental implants require the same care as real teeth, including brushing(twice a day), flossing(once daily), rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash, and regular dental cleaning’s and check-ups every six months can help ensure your implant is in good condition.

As your own teeth require conscientious at-home oral care, the longevity and success of implants also depends on your oral hygiene and regular dental visits.

Dental implants are like your own teeth and will require the same care. While replacement teeth can’t get cavities, they are subjected to the same wear-and-tear as natural teeth.

Chewing on hard foods should be avoided as they can break the crown as well as your natural teeth.

Patients should quit smoking, as smoking can weaken the bone structure and can lead to implant failure.

Well-placed dental implants have the potential to last a lifetime.

Since there is no  manufacture of dental implants in India, the dental implant specialists in dental clinics in Delhi and dental clinics in India , use branded dental implants of global quality. The dental implant specialist in ‘Smile Delhi –The Dental Clinic’,( a reputed dental clinic in Delhi), uses Swedish, German or Korean dental implants. In Reputed dental clinics in Delhi, such as ‘Smile Delhi- The Dental Clinic’, the dental implant specialist takes care of stringent sterilization, so the success rate is 98percent.

Posted By – Dr. Shriya