Crooked teeth can be embarrassing and cause low self-esteem. If you don’t have straight teeth, braces can provide you with a beautiful smile. But what is the right age for treatment? Read on to learn more about braces.
If you’re an adult who’s missing a tooth (or even more than one), you’re far from alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 36% of Americans have lost at least one tooth.
While common, missing teeth must be replaced, not just for cosmetic reasons, but also for your oral health. Additionally, an unfilled gap can negatively affect your speech and ability to chew.
At Livonia Family Smiles, in Livonia, MI, our experienced team of dentists are experts in replacing missing teeth with state-of-the-art dental implants.
What is a dental implant and how can it help me?
A dental implant is simply a permanent screw that is surgically placed below your gum. Attached to it is an abutment that holds the new tooth. The implant fuses with your jawbone. The other critical task an implant performs is supporting your crown or the prosthetic tooth that fills your gap.
The fact that an implant is a permanent solution for your missing tooth has many advantages:
With a bridge, the surrounding teeth can develop problems like decay and sometimes aren’t strong enough to support your bridge over the long-term. And the upkeep and care that dentures require put them in the “high maintenance” category.
First, a local anesthetic in injected into the treatment site of your implant. Then a small incision is made in your gum to accommodate your implant. After ensuring that your implant is properly placed in your jawbone, the incision is neatly closed.
Now your implant and jawbone need sufficient time to grow into each other or osseointegrate. You can’t hurry this several-month-long process, because proper healing means you’ll have an implant that’s as strong as a real tooth.
The final step is placing an abutment on your implant, which will hold your dental crown on the implant screw once the implant-jawbone fusion process is complete.
We advise over-the-counter pain medications for you, antibiotics should you need them, and a temporary soft-food diet post-procedure. You may experience some swelling, soreness, and a bit of bleeding.
A dental implant is the most permanent solution to your missing tooth woes. With dedicated dental hygiene, your implant can last a lifetime. The crown may need to be replaced after 10-15 years.
To learn more about dental implants, call our office at 734-525-6100, or book an appointment online.
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