In today’s era of information overload, there’s nothing wrong with focusing on the basics. Trustworthy medical and dental websites often publish pages or posts addressing frequently asked questions or offering a “101” level review of an important topic.

Likewise, here are five facts about dental implants to give you a baseline of understanding, so you can discuss dental implants with your dental professional.

5 Important Facts About Dental Implants

1. Dental implants can stop bone loss in your jaw. When teeth are lost due to injury or decay, you lose bone density in your jaw. Implants can prevent this loss and help restore your jaw’s structure by reducing the load on the remaining natural teeth.
2. Dental implants can replace one – or all – of your teeth. While the methods vary, implants can be used to replace one, a few, an entire arch, or even all your teeth. Dental implants place biocompatible metal posts where the tooth roots have been, adding an artificial tooth restoration above the gum line.
3. Dental implants need time to osseointegrate into your jaw. Some patients can get “teeth in a day” dental implants; others require multiple visits to supplement the jaw with bone grafts and other steps to ensure success. It’s important to understand the posts placed below the gum line will need time to bind with the bone in your jaw to function at their maximum effectiveness. This process, known as osseointegration, can take several months.
4. Dental implants require a post-procedure recovery plan. Immediately after your dental implants are placed, you will need a recovery period. You’ll need to eat a soft-food diet and monitor your mouth carefully for signs of infection at the implantation site. The initial healing can take one or two weeks. Osseointegration, as mentioned above, can take six to eight weeks.
5. Dental implants can create dramatic improvements in how you speak, eat, and smile. Dental implants are popular because they reverse the negative legacy of natural tooth loss. Many patients report being able to eat all the foods they used to love, speak with greater clarity and diction and – best of all! – feel comfortable smiling and laughing in ways that show off their smiles.

If you have lost one or more teeth, you can schedule a visit with your endodontist or other dental professional to assess your current oral health and develop a treatment plan based on your individual needs.

Call Our Office Today For Answers To Your Dental Implant Questions

Don’t let lack of knowledge about dental implants stand between you and better oral health. Call 602-242-4745 to make an appointment with the Phoenix Endodontic Group to discuss dental implants today.