Facts About The Dental Implants Procedure Recovery Process

The teeth are indispensable, so the permanent teeth are meant to serve an individual for a lifetime. The milk teeth erupt at about six to twelve months after birth. However, these teeth are temporary and only serve their purpose of chewing food, shaping the face and pronunciation of words. They also reserve space in the mouth for the permanent teeth for about six to seven years. After this period, the milk teeth start to fall out naturally. The much stronger permanent teeth begin to replace them in no time. These teeth do not have a natural replacement if they fall out, hence their name.

The permanent teeth have three essential functions, and they include tearing, biting, and chewing of food (chewing of food), production of speech and pronunciation of words, and support of the jaw/shape of the face. Although permanent teeth can last a lifetime, this does not mean they can not go missing due to negligence. Improper care of the teeth, trauma to the face, sports/work accident, or injuries are factors that could cause the displacement of your permanent teeth.

Missing teeth in the mouth would mean difficulties or inability to tear, bite, and chew food, and challenges while pronouncing words or speaking. In addition, missing teeth cause the face to lose its shape and sag. Missing teeth also make you develop wrinkles and look older than your actual age. Missing teeth can also cause malocclusion, bone loss/shift, and a host of other dental problems. Therefore, it is crucial to find a solution since there is no natural replacement for missing permanent teeth. An adequate substitute for a missing tooth is a tooth implant.

Teeth implants, popularly known as dental implants, are surgical fixtures of titanium inserted into the jaw bone to replace the tooth root. Dental crowns are placed on dental implants to complete the procedure and restore the functions of the missing teeth. Dental implants are very effective because they have the look and feel of natural teeth. Also, the mouth does not consider them as foreign objects because of the titanium with which they are made.

The dental procedure used in fixing dental implants involves surgery. Therefore, it is not suitable for everybody. To qualify for a dental implant procedure, you must have one or more missing tooth that needs replacement. Since dental implants are inserted into the jawbone, you must possess a healthy, fully grown jawbone. In cases where your jawbone is not enough or healthy, you might be required to go for bone grafting or other procedures. Getting dental implants also requires you not to have any health condition that affects bone healing. The implant is fused with the jawbone to become solid when the bone heals over it. You must also have healthy oral tissues.

Dental Implant Procedure

After meeting all the requirements for dental implants, you must also consult a dentist for professional advice. Dental implant surgery involves the removal of the damaged tooth, placing dental implants, bone growth and healing, abutment placement, and covering with the artificial tooth replacement.

After removing the damaged tooth, your dentist cuts into your gum to expose your bone. When the bone is visible, holes are drilled in the spot where the dental implant post will be placed. The implant is then placed deep into the bone to serve as a tooth root replacement. After the implant has been placed, the healing process begins.

While the jawbone heals, it grows around and fuses to the implant in a process called osseointegration. This process can take several months. However, it provides a solid base for the replacement teeth. After the healing process is complete, a minor surgery takes place to fit the abutment (if it hasn’t been done before) to which the replacement tooth will be attached. After this, the gums are left to heal before fixing the artificial tooth. Your artificial teeth can be dentures or dental crowns.

Dental Implant Recovery

Since a dental implant procedure is a surgery, recovery might take a while. However, the central part of the healing process is done during the process. Osseointegration can take four to six months. However, after completing the surgery, you might still feel some pain and discomfort.

You might need to take prescribed medications to alleviate pain during your recovery period. There is no specific recovery time after a dental implants procedure since it depends on the number of implants if you had bone grafting and individual differences. However, to hasten up your recovery, you can take the following advice:

• Take a lot of time to rest.
• Stay hydrated.
• Eat soft, healthy, and nourishing foods and fruits.
• Avoid smoking.
• Practice good oral health habits.