You might already be familiar with dental implants, however, it's important to understand the process behind restoring your smile. Our dentists at Dr. Kevin Brown & Associates in Ayer, MA, are happy to provide more information regarding dental implants and the important aspects to know.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
The restorative procedure requires surgery, as the titanium implant is inserted into your jawbone to rehabilitate your functionality after losing your natural tooth and its root. The implant then fuses to the jawbone through a process known as osseointegration—where the implant acts as the same support as your natural, healthy tooth roots.
Once the implant has been placed, you can expect a custom, artificially made tooth to fill the gap of your previous tooth. However, the time between the surgical procedure and the false tooth replacement is imperative for proper healing.
Required Healing Period
Losing a tooth results in total bone loss which can eventually impact your overall oral health—and can even harm healthy, neighboring teeth. The osseointegration process does not happen instantaneously—therefore requiring a several-month period for the healing for the jaw to fuse with the new implant.
This process provides the exact support that your natural tooth roots do, allowing your jaw to utilize the implant as a way to restore the necessary support for overall functionality.
The time in which your Ayer, MA, dentists will require for your dental implants to heal depends on the state of your jawbone, as well as the type of implant they use. Your dental implants healing process can also be impacted by:
- how many teeth you've lost/removed and replaced with an implant
- if you require bone grafting—a surgical process where your dentist uses the healthy bone to rebuild your jawbone structure, providing the proper foundation for dental implants
- whether or not your bone is strong enough for dental implants to fuse to
- specific reasons for your condition
If you've ever broken a bone, you're acutely aware that it takes time to heal—the dental implant recovery process is no different. Simply put, you can expect several months to pass before filling that gap.
Worth The Wait
Dental implants provide a lifelong replacement with newly restored tooth and jawbone support. Since there are no additional steps to properly maintain the implant, it's reliably durable.
For further questions regarding whether or not dental implants are the right fit for you, your dentists at Dr. Brown & Associates in Ayer, MA, invite you to visit with them today! Schedule your appointment by calling our office at (978) 772-3747.