Your smile is precious, which is why it is so important to protect it. Of course, the best way to keep your smile looking good is to take care of your teeth, but sometimes due to accidents, illness or aging, we lose teeth through no fault of our own.
If you’ve lost a tooth or two, then you might feel unhappy with your smile and the appearance of your face. Believe it or not, your teeth play an important part in the shape of your face, and a lack of teeth can sometimes lead to changes in your appearance.
The best way to get your smile back after losing teeth is to think about getting dental implants; these are a type of false teeth that are fixed in your mouth with a metal plate. For many of us, the idea of having a dental implant fixed inside your mouth can seem scary, but it really doesn’t have to be.
To give you an idea of what getting dental implants consists of, we have put together a simple guide below:
What is a dental implant?
A dental implant is one of the many ways you can now have missing teeth replaced. The implant itself is made of titanium and is put in your mouth by a specialist dental surgeon. The plate is screwed into your jaw bone and are meant to act as the root of the new tooth.
This might sound painful and scary, but with the right dentist it doesn’t have to be. Don’t let the idea of the procedure put you off, as there are many relief options you can choose from.
How long is the procedure?
The time the procedure will take will depend on how healthy your mouth is and how many teeth need replacing. As well as, whether you will need extraction treatment before the procedure.
Depending on how many teeth you are having replaced, your procedure may take more than one visit to the dental clinic. To replace one tooth with a dental implant takes around one to two hours, this includes administering the anesthetic and waiting for it to kick in properly.
Will my regular dentist do the procedure
While some regular dentists do fit dental implants, many patients prefer to get their dental implants put in at a specialized clinic.
Just make sure to choose the clinic carefully, do your research and check that it is fully licensed before undergoing your procedure there. It is also a good idea to meet with your surgeon beforehand, to discuss the procedure and ensure that you are comfortable with them.
Will it be painful?
The thing that most people worry about with any dental treatment is whether it will be painful. While dentistry was painful 20 years ago, today with advancements in dental technology, most dentistry is painless.
The dental implant procedure is done with a local anesthetic or in some cases under intravenous sedation, so there should be very little pain if any. Most patients report feeling some slight discomfort after the procedure, but apart from that, very little pain.
Of course, like any surgical procedure you are bound to feel a little sore afterward. However, your dental surgeon will prescribe medication to help with this.
