All about dental implants in Woodbury NY

                                                           

Dental implants were perfected in the early 1950s and today they are considered the gold standard for the replacement of missing teeth. A dental implant is a dental fixture that actually fuses with the patient’s jawbone forming a new “root” so to speak, the root is a titanium component that actually looks like a screw. Once the root has fused with the jawbone a receptacle is fitted along with a tooth or a fixture designed to hold a bridge or dentures. Dental implants are the closest thing there is to a real tooth, they do not require support from adjacent teeth as they are perfectly stable due to the fusion to the bone. The success rate today is almost 98 percent and anyone who can withstand a dental procedure is an excellent candidate for an implant.

When are dental implants needed?

Dental implants can be used as a single tooth replacement, multiple teeth or an implant can act as the anchor point for a bridge or dentures.

There are only three options when it comes to teeth replacement; a removal appliance such as a full or partial denture, a fixed bridge or a dental implant. When deciding which is best for you there are a few factors to take into account:

1. The location of the missing tooth or teeth
2. The quality of the jawbone at the implant site
3. The patient’s general health
4. Preference and cost

The nest person to make the assessment and the subsequent recommendation of course is the dentist who will perform the work.

There is little doubt that a replacement tooth is a superior solution to a removal denture or bridge. With a dental implant there is no need to involve other teeth as the implant stands alone and because implants bond with the underlying jawbone they are extremely stable, they look and feel like natural teeth and they will usually last a lifetime.

Is the procedure painful?

The days of painful dental procedures are long gone, dental implant surgery is accomplished while the patient is under a local anesthetic and there is no pain during the procedure. Of course, once the anesthetic has worn off there will be post operative discomfort and this depends very much on the patient. In most cases the discomfort is no more or no less than having a tooth extracted and can be managed by OTC pain relievers.