If you have lost an individual tooth or several of your teeth and are looking for a permanent tooth replacement solution, then you might be a candidate for dental implants.
Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement solution to missing teeth. If you have a healthy jawbone and healthy gums that can support the implant, then you can benefit from this permanent solution to missing teeth. A dental implant ensures the health of your jawbone as it replicates the purpose of a natural tooth root and stimulates the bone, which helps retain the facial structure.
Contact our experts at Greater Charlotte Oral and Facial Surgeryto learn more about how dental implants can help you.
What Are Dental Implants?
A natural tooth is made up of two parts: the root and a crown. A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that's securely implanted in your jawbone under your gum. It serves as the foundation on which your artificial tooth is placed.
How Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are made up of alloy and look like a screw that is firmly placed in the jawbone. The living bone tissue grows around the implant to fix it in place. Once the implant is fused in the bone, a process known as osseointegration, it can be used to support an artificial crown.
Dental Implant Placement Procedure
Dental implant placement includes a surgical procedure. Once the jawbone and gums have healed after the surgical procedure, your dental surgeon will place a replacement tooth.
The Implant Placement Surgery
Prior to the implant surgery, our dental expert will discuss the procedure in detail at your consultation appointment and prescribe you antibiotics to clear any existing infection.
On the day of the procedure, you may receive IV sedation followed by the administration of local anesthetics to numb the area.
The implant placement procedure by a dental expert like Amir Marashi, MD, DDS, FACS can take up to an hour for a single implant. Moreover, in case of multiple implants, the duration of the procedure can increase up to two to three hours. However, the exact duration of the procedure can vary from person to person.
Process
The procedure involves making a small incision in the gum tissue after numbing the region. The incision reveals the jaw bone, after which the dental surgeon creates space in it using a special apparatus. Once there is enough space in the jaw bone, a dental implant is inserted, with its top visible through the gum tissue.
If the jaw bone isn't strong enough, it's best to perform a gum tissue graft, which helps remove a healthy part of the gum tissue and place it around the implant for a more secure implant integration in the oral cavity.
Osseointegration
Once the dental implant is inserted in the gums, our dental surgeon will give it a few months (more or less may be needed depending upon your overall and oral health) to integrate it with the jawbone. The process is known as osseointegration and allows the gum tissue to grow around the implant. Moreover, this resting phase also allows your gum tissue to heal and mature.
While your dental implant and jaw bone are healing, our dental expert will attach a temporary bridge or a removable tooth. However, you can also request a non-removable tooth that will be attached to your implant on the procedure day. A temporary tooth partially restores the function of your oral cavity.
Follow-up
Follow-up care is typically required after dental implants to ensure that the oral cavity, particularly the site of the implant, is healing well. It's also the time when our dental surgeon can take an impression of your crown, which will be placed over the implant once it is healed.
Attaching Replacement Teeth To The Implant
Once the dental implant has healed and fully integrated into the jawbone, our dental expert will make the abutments that help attach the replacement crown to the implant. Various types of abutments are available that attach the replacement tooth to the implant; however, customized abutments can also be made.
Your dentist will decide on when to begin this phase depending on the speed of your recovery and your overall health. Typically, the attachment of a replacement tooth to the implant is performed without numbing the oral cavity and is usually performed between one and 12 months following the dental implant procedure.
Dental implant and replacement tooth attachment procedures vary significantly among individuals, and the time it takes to complete the procedure depends on the patient's personal oral health and the speed of recovery. It's, therefore, difficult to estimate the duration and number of follow-up visits that may be needed, as it varies among patients.
Dental Implant Placement in the Charlotte NC area
When planning to get dental implants in Charlotte, it is best to opt for a reliable dental facility like Greater Charlotte Oral and Facial Surgery. Amir Marashi, MD, DDS, FACS and our team is trained to deal with all of your dental implant and oral health concerns.
Call us today at (980) 332-7990 and schedule an appointment with us at a location near you.
