History of Dental Implants

Dr. Leonard Linkow placed his first dental implant in 1952. Over the years, following clinical studies and human volunteers, dental implants have today become common place and offered by most dental practitioners.

How Do I know If I'm Suitable For Dental Implant Treatment?

A dental Implant is suitable for most healthy adults. If you have a missing tooth or several missing teeth, you may be a good candidate as nearly every adult in good health has the jawbone to hold the implant. Some of the reasons why people turn to dental implants are if they are born with a tooth, their existing teeth have decayed, or they suffer from periodontal disease. A dental implant is also a good option for those who no longer wish to wear dentures.

If you have missing teeth, you should have them replaced as soon as possible by a reputable dental practitioner. According to The Dentist at Framingham, This keeps your remaining teeth from shifting position and prevents long-term damage to your jawbone. There are several options for replacing teeth, including dentures and bridges. For the most stable, permanent solution, consider dental implants, the only option that permanently ensures your teeth’s structure.

if you are a smoker and alcohol drinker, your initial healing process can take a longer as these habits cause a number of problems. What's more, smoking can be bad in the long-term for the health of your gums as well as the bone surrounding the implant. In fact, some dental professionals will decline the implant placement if the patient cannot cut down or give up smoking altogether. To determine whether or not you are a good candidate, be sure to talk to an experienced dentist and mention if you're a smoker, have any medical conditions, or take any prescribed or over-the-counter medications.

What a Dental Implant Placement Involves

Placement of a dental implant is usually and outpatient surgical procedure involving several steps:

• Damaged tooth is removed, if not already missing.
• A two-dimensional x-ray and a CT scan are obtained. A specialized 3D CAD/CAM computer program may be used to plan the placement of the dental implant.
• If needed, bone grafting is performed followed by a period of time for healing. A bone graft may be needed if your own jawbone is not thick enough to provide a solid base for the implant. Usually a piece of bone is removed from another part of your jaw or body (for example, your hip) and placed to your jawbone. This is called auto graft. Bone may also be obtained from cadavers (allograft), bovine bone or coral (xenograft), or artificially produced bonelike substances. It may take up to nine months for this to blend with the rest of your jawbone, and be ready to accept the dental implant.
• A Stent of surgical template may be used to help facilitate the placement of the dental implant. This is an acrylic post that fits over the bone surface with pre-drilled holes to show the position and angle of the implants to be placed
• A dental implant metal post is placed surgically into your jawbone. This procedure consists of cutting into your gum to expose the bone. A pre-measured hole is then drilled deep into the bone where the dental implant post will be placed
• A period of three months or more is needed for the bone to heal around the implant. thisis called osseointegration, which means the jawbone unites with the surface of the dental implant. Once osseointegration is complete, the dental implant is ready for placement of the crown over it.

Risks of a Dental Implant

Dental implants, whether for one missing tooth or many, can involve discomfort and have some risks:

• Swelling of your face

• Bruising of your face

• Pain at the surgical site

• Minor bleeding

• Infection at implant site

• Nerve damage

• Sinus problems involving upper teeth that are in close proximity to your maxillary sinus

Are Dental Implants Painful?

After your surgery is over, you may be sore for a couple of days just like any other surgery. But this can easily be managed with over-the-counter pain medication. Make sure you take your painkillers regularly for the first two days after the surgery. If after two days you still feel pain or selling, go back to the dental clinic for a check-up in order to prevent the development of infection.