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Dec
Choosing the Right Teeth Replacement Option: Is It Time for Dental Implants?
If you’ve experienced tooth loss, you have more options than ever for tooth replacement. A missing tooth impacts your smile, but even if it isn’t visible from the front, it must be replaced. When a person is missing one or more teeth, they are at increased risk for gum disease and tooth decay in their remaining teeth. Equally concerning, bone loss can occur in the jaw if the tooth isn’t replaced. Dental implants may be the solution you’re looking for, and we have answers to your questions.
What Are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a prosthetic tooth used to replace a missing tooth. Dental implants are made with three components:
- Titanium screw: A titanium screw is embedded directly into your jawbone. Through osseointegration, the screw fuses with the jawbone over time, providing structure for your dental implant and becoming a permanent part of your jaw. The new implant will take a few months to heal fully.
- Abutment: The abutment is a small piece of metal that rests atop the screw above the gum line, acting as a base or structure for your porcelain crown.
- Porcelain crown: Once all healing is complete, a porcelain crown is securely placed on top of the abutment. This is the part that is visible in your smile.
Is the Dental Implant Procedure Painful?
When your dentist places the screw during the procedure, you will be under anesthesia, so you feel no pain. If you and your dentist decide it’s right, you can also opt for sedation. Immediately after the procedure, you will still feel numb and no pain. Most patients experience moderate discomfort, such as swelling, tenderness, and inflammation, for 24 to 48 hours.
What Can I Eat With Dental Implants?
One of the first things most people miss about having a full mouth of teeth is being able to eat and chew the foods they love. With a dental implant, chewing functionality is restored because implants function nearly identically to natural teeth.
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New Patients: (561) 770-6752 | Existing Patients: (561) 736-2122
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Can Dental Implants Get Cavities?
Implants are made using materials that do not decay. This means you never have to worry about a cavity in your new tooth. Practicing good oral hygiene will help protect your gums and remaining natural teeth from infection and decay.
Can I Use Implants to Replace More Than One Tooth?
A single dental implant replaces one tooth, and you can have multiple dental implants. Dental implants can also serve as anchors to support full or partial dentures. In this scenario, implants are placed at either end of a gap in your smile. A dental bridge replaces the teeth between the implants, with the implants stabilizing the bridge or dentures.
What Are My Teeth Replacement Options in Boynton Beach, FL?
If you have questions or you’re looking for “restorative dentistry near me,” Dr. Franklin Landers at the office of Franklin A. Landers, D.D.S., F.A.G.D. in Boynton Beach, Florida, is here to address your concerns. Call our office today at (561) 770-6752 or use our online form to schedule a consultation.