20 Questions to Ask Your Periodontist When Considering Dental Implants

If you confront challenges with tooth loss or missing teeth, you might wonder about replacement solutions to improve your mouth’s functionality. You might also consider options like dentures and dental bridges that suit your needs. However, you will likely change your mind when you receive information that dental implants near you in Ancaster, ON, provide a permanent solution for your missing teeth with dental implants embedded in your jawbone.

Dental implants not just provide you with artificial teeth but also replace your tooth root because the implant integrates with your body to become part of it and functions like an artificial tooth root to provide stability to the embedded titanium post. After you have recovered from the surgery for dental implants in Ancaster, ON, you must have another minor surgery for abutment attachment to hold your artificial dental crowns over them.

The process of getting dental implants is intensive and requires considerable time for recovery besides significant investment. Therefore before considering dental implants, you must discuss the following 20 questions with the periodontist to convince yourself you are deciding correctly.

What Are the 20 Questions You Must Ask of Your Periodontist?

1. What Are Dental Implants?

In contrast to the misconception that dental implants are artificial teeth, your periodontist will explain that a dental implant is merely a prosthetic device used to replace missing, lost, or extracted teeth. The implant consists of three parts — the titanium post, an abutment, and a dental crown:

• You receive the implant in your jawbone.
• An abutment is attached to the implant.
• You receive your artificial tooth customized to appear and function as your natural tooth.

2. Are Dental Implants Common?

No, dental implants are not as standard as tooth loss because not everyone is suitable for dental implant placement. For example, if seeking dental implants, patients must have a healthy jawbone and physical health besides freedom from conditions like autoimmune diseases like diabetes, et cetera because it impacts recovery after the surgical process to get dental implants.

3. How Safe Are Dental Implants?

The safety of dental implants has remained undisputed ever since the first implant was placed in 1965. Currently, the evolution of dental implants has made them the safest and most reliable for replacing missing teeth.

4. Is the Procedure for Getting Dental Implants Painful?

Every patient differs in how they tolerate pain. You will likely not experience any discomfort when getting the dental implants but must endure some pain for a few days after you receive them in your jawbone. However, periodontists recommend painkillers to ensure you don’t experience severe pain. In reality, you can proceed with your regular activities in approximately three days after getting implants placed in your jawbone.

5. What Is the Duration of the Dental Implant Placement Procedure?

The implant placement process differs between patients because some factors need consideration. Your dental health, which tooth or teeth need replacements, and the number of implants required are primary considerations. Besides the above aspects like, tooth extractions, bone grafting or any other procedures you need before implant placement needs consideration. You must allow time to recover from additional procedures before getting dental implants.

6. Am I Suitable for Implant Placement?

Your periodontist evaluates your dental and physical health, inquires into conditions affecting you besides lifestyle habits like smoking, and assesses your jawbone health before determining suitability for dental implants. If you lack sufficient jawbone or smoke, the periodontist suggests you receive a bone graft and quit smoking before getting dental implants to prevent failure. So long as you commit to adhering to the professional’s instructions, you are considered suitable for dental implants.

Learn More: What happens if i smoke after getting dental implants?

7. What Are the Advantages of Implant Placement?

When you lose permanent teeth because of gum disease, injuries, or extractions, the lost teeth don’t regenerate like your primary teeth. Dental implants have many benefits because they help restore your mouth functionality, prevent jawbone deterioration, function like your natural teeth, don’t attract tooth decay and allow you to smile without trying to hide gaps between your teeth.

8. What Are the Downsides of Dental Implants?

The risk of infections exists with every surgical procedure, and dental implants are no exception. However, dental implants are highly successful and rarely fail. Your periodontist will discuss this procedure’s adverse effects and the expenses associated to ensure you are fully prepared to undergo this process.

9. What to Eat After Dental Implant Placement?

The implant placement procedure requires surgery and making openings in your jawbone to embed titanium posts and has a recovery time of approximately three to six months. Following implant placement, you must ensure you keep the surgical site clean and free from food debris to reduce infections. You must rely on soft foods and beverages during your recovery after implant placement. You can gradually start adding foods that don’t require chewing and avoid crunchy and hard foods during your recovery immediately following dental implant surgery. While you must avoid spicy and acidic foods, you can return to your regular diet within a few days with minimal challenges.

10. How Long after Extractions Can You Get Implants?

If you need extractions, you must allow your tooth socket to recover before you can have dental implant surgery. You can consider dental implant placement immediately after extractions in some cases. However, waiting for your tooth socket to recover is a better approach.

11. Can Your Mouth Reject Implants?

The body rarely rejects dental implants unless you provide inappropriate care and indulge in the habits the periodontist advised to quit. Dental implant rejections generally result from negligence and inadequate dental hygiene. Therefore you are responsible for ensuring your body accepts dental implants.

12. How Long Is the Recovery after Implant Placement?

After implant placement, you require three to six months for the titanium post to fuse with your body. After abutment placement, the recovery time is approximately two weeks. You can get your artificial tooth or teeth three weeks after recovering from abutment placement. Therefore getting your artificial teeth will require around eight months after implant placement.

13. How Successful Are Dental Implants?

The success of dental implants largely relies on patients and their lifestyle choices. However, patients with excellent physical and mental health can expect success rates of 95 percent or more from dental implants.

14. Are Dental Implants Durable?

The durability of dental implants is as undisputed as their safety. Dental implants last for a lifetime if cared for appropriately, providing a permanent replacement for your missing teeth.

15. Can I Get Metal-Free Implants?

Generally, materials that help make tooth repair and replacement solutions contain metal. For example, biocompatible titanium helps make dental implants that integrate with your body. However, if you are determined to get a metal-free option, you can have Zirconia implants now becoming popular as a metal-free option.

16. Can You Convert Dentures into Implants?

No, you cannot convert dentures into implants. Implants require surgical placement into your jawbone to support artificial teeth. However, if you have dentures and are struggling with them, you can have implants without teeth placed under your existing prosthetics to help stabilize them if they are in excellent condition.

17. Can You Receive Dental Implants As Replacements for Partial Dentures?

People wearing complete or partial dentures benefit from dental implants because the implant helps provide additional support for a removal overdenture that you can snap over the implant.

18. Are Implants Removable?

Dental implants are not removable because they are fixed into your jawbone to provide a stable base for your artificial tooth. Implants become a permanent fixture in your mouth after the fake teeth are screwed over the implant. The process ensures that your missing teeth are replaced permanently to resemble your natural teeth.

19. What Is the Cost of Dental Implants?

The cost of getting dental implants can vary between patients depending on how many teeth they need to have replaced, the condition of their jawbone and other procedures that you might need like bone grafts, sinus lifts, tooth extraction, et cetera. You must discuss your requirements with the periodontist during your consultation. However, the costs of replacing a single tooth with a dental implant are almost similar to getting dental bridges.

20. Do Dental Insurance Providers Cover Dental Implants?

Dental insurance coverage for a dental implant is limited. Any coverage you receive depends on your provider, and in some cases, insurers reimburse for the artificial teeth replaced on implants and not the entire process.

You decide to invest in your smile and the functionality of your mouth when getting dental implants. Therefore researching carefully is essential besides collecting all relevant information by researching to prevent surprises before, during, and after implant placement.

Ancaster Family Dentistry provides dental implants explaining the entire procedure to you besides its benefits and downsides. If considering dental implants to replace missing teeth, kindly do not hesitate to contact this practice to receive a tooth replacement solution excellent for missing teeth.