Dental Implants Phoenix AZ
We all want to have a beautiful and confident smile. Unfortunately, tooth loss can affect much more than just your oral health, patients may struggle with self-confidence and insecurity. Aside from self-esteem issues, there are also other consequences of tooth loss. These include but are not limited to TMJ disorder (constant jaw pain), difficulty chewing, speaking problems, and possible alterations to the natural contours of cheeks/facial structures.
Why Dental Implants?
Advantages of Implants over Bridges and Dentures
What A Dental Implant Is
Dental implants are made up of three components that fit together to form a perfect replica of a tooth or teeth that have been missing from your mouth. They must be placed surgically and typically require some time to heal between the initial placement and the final product. The parts that make up a dental implant are (in the order that they are placed) – post, abutment, crown/bridge/full arch restoration.
The Titanium Post
The post is the part of the dental implant that is surgically placed into your jaw. It is made of titanium not only because of how strong and long-lasting titanium is, but because titanium is a biocompatible metal. Biocompatibility means that they bones and tissues of the body don’t recognize the implant as a dangerous foreign material that the body must reject. Instead, the bone of your jaw recognizes titanium as a substance that it can grow around in a process known as osseointegration. Because the bone in your jaw grows around the base of the dental implant, it can form a very strong mechanical bond with the implant, which results in a long lasting, dental restoration.
After the post has been placed, it will, usually require some time to heal in the mouth. During the following months, the bone in your jaw and the soft tissues of your gums will heal around the new implant.
The Abutment
Once the implant has had the appropriate amount of time to heal, we will be able to finish the restoration by placing the abutment and the crown. The abutment is, for the most part, unseen and is used to act as an anchor point for the crown, or finishing restoration. The abutment screws into the top of the post and is permanently affixed to it using permanent dental cement. Once the abutment is placed, we will cover it up with the finished dental restoration.
The Finishing Restoration
Dental implants can be used to secure a wide variety of finishing restorations in your mouth from, single crowns that replace single teeth, to bridges that replace a row of missing teeth, to full arches restorations. We craft this finishing restoration out of high-quality materials that are made to last while performing all the same functions that your normal teeth would. Different materials are used for different applications to achieve certain goals. We can craft restoration out of the following materials:
| • | Porcelain is not the strongest material but it does one of the best jobs of matching the aesthetic of teeth. We do not usually use porcelain to restore molars because of the high bite pressures that are applied to molar teeth. Instead, we use porcelain to restore teeth that are highly visible in the smile, such as the front teeth. |
| • | Ceramic materials like zirconia are frequently used to restore teeth that do lots of chewing because of how durable they are. The pressures that ceramic materials can withstand are impressively high. Materials like zirconia also do a great job of matching the look of natural teeth. |
| • | Gold is a great match when it comes to replacing teeth. While not as common as they once were, gold restorations feel very similar to teeth and have a high long-term success rate. If the aesthetic of gold is something that appeals to you, it is a great option for tooth replacement. |
| • | Metal is usually used as a base material to fuse other materials like porcelain and ceramic to. Metal provides a strong, long-lasting base for molar restorations. |
Comparing Dental Implant Retained Full Arches and Dentures
One of the best ways to find out how dental implants stack up is to compare them to other, similar tooth replacement options. In the same way that dentures can replace all of the teeth in your mouth, so can full arch, dental implant retained restorations. Let’s take a look at some of the major points of both dentures and dental implant retained solutions.
Dentures
Dentures are held in place using denture adhesives. Denture adhesives allow the user to chew most foods and speak as they would normally. The problem with dentures is that they must be removed at night and special care must be taken to clean and store them overnight. Because your mouth can change as time progresses, dentures that fit well today, might not fit so well after a few months. Further, toward the end of the day, the denture adhesives can start to lose their hold, allowing the dentures to come loose. There are limitations on the foods that can be eaten with dentures, sticky foods, and touch foods can easily cause dentures significant trouble.
Dental Implant Retained Restorations
The best thing about dental implants is that they can be used to retain any number of dental restorations, from single teeth to full arch solutions. Not only can they support a wide variety of restorations, but they also offer permanent support! This means that the restorations never come loose, and never need to be removed from your mouth for cleaning or overnight storage. Special toothbrushes and denture adhesive is not necessary, instead, with dental implants you can treat them as you would your normal teeth.
Dental implant retained restorations stay put in your mouth and allow you to eat and speak as you normally would.
Benefits of Dental Implants
There are significant benefits of having dental implants. First, they look just like your real teeth. This can make them nearly indistinguishable from your original teeth.
Second, they function just like your real teeth once did. Instead of being worried about what foods you can eat and what foods you need to avoid, you need only to be worried about what tastes the best! Your dental implants will allow you to enjoy the same foods you always have, without the worry of them slipping around like a partial or set of dentures could.
Third, dental implants give you confidence. Speaking, eating, and chewing can all be embarrassing if you wear a partial or wear dentures. They sometimes slip, making for some obvious problems. Dental implants cannot slip, as they are permanently fused to your jaw. Finally, dental implants give you the ability to maintain your oral health. Just like regular teeth, you brush and floss implants in the same way. Plus, when you lose a tooth, your jaw begins to deteriorate. With the way that dental implants are made, they stimulate your jaw, giving it the ability to stay strong and healthy, avoiding the deterioration that happens when a gap is left, or when only a partial or denture is used.
The Dental Implant Procedure
If you are a good candidate for dental implants, such as having good oral health and not smoking, then you will get set up for oral surgery. You will get the base for your implant, which is called an abutment, put into your jaw bone. This will then heal over the next few months with a temporary tooth placed on top. Once the abutment has completely healed, it will be fused with your jaw bone, and then your permanent dental implant can be placed on top.
For more information on dental implants, give us a call at (602) 279-1641. We can help you get implants to help fill in gaps from just a couple missing teeth, or we can help you replace full arches where all of your teeth were missing. To have a smile that gives your mouth back its full function, plus gives you the confidence to live life like you used to, you want to turn to dental implants. To get the best dental implants in Phoenix, AZ, you want Dr. Schwei.
Post-Operation Instructions
It’s very important to the success of the implant that you minimize the amount of contact you have with the implants. Whenever there is a new, foreign object in your mouth, the first inclination you have is to probe it with your tongue. This inclination is often so strong that we end up touching the areas of the mouth that have changed so frequently that they are rubbed raw. In the case of post-op dental implants, this should be avoided at all costs because it could become detrimental to the success of the implant. For the first two weeks after having an implant placed in your mouth, actively try not to touch it.
Bleeding
Minor bleeding should be expected immediately following dental implant surgery. The best way to mitigate this bleeding is to place a piece of gauze onto the surgery site and gently bite down on it for a half hour. Keeping the head elevated is important when trying to mitigate bleeding. Allowing yourself some time to rest and lower your heart rate can also do wonders regarding slowing and stopping the bleeding. During the next several days following surgery, it is normal for the site to ooze pink and reddish fluids. You will have a follow-up appointment roughly two weeks after your surgery, any sutures that have not already dissolved by that point will be removed from your mouth.
Swelling
Is a normal, healthy response to surgery and is an indication that the healing process is underway. You may not notice significant swelling until 24 hours after the surgery. Swelling will be at it’s most pronounced around 2-3 days after surgery and will taper off significantly following that. Feel free to apply a cold compress or an ice pack to any areas that experience swelling. Make sure to pad the area with a towel before applying an ice pack to avoid soft tissue or skin damage.
Pain Management
It’s very normal for minor pain and discomfort to follow any surgical procedure. Always check with your doctor if you have known allergies or are taking prescriptions of any kind and would like to take a painkiller to manage post-op surgical pain. For minor pain and discomfort, Acetomenaphin and Ibuprofin are usually a good way to find comfort. For more severe pain we will prescribe you a painkiller that can deal with long-term, intense pain. Always read the instructions on any medication that is prescribed to you and make sure to follow the dosing instructions.
Diet
After anesthetic and general sedation, there is a good chance that your body will be in need of some fluids. Drink some water or sip some warm tea and slowly, as you gain confidence, rehydrate yourself. Avoid hot liquids and foods as best you can. If your mouth is still numb from the local anesthetic and you are hungry, consider eating something soft, like gelatin o pudding. When the numbness has worn off, feel free to eat foods as normal but try to avoid chewing near the surgical site.
Oral Hygiene
Oral hygiene is extra important following a surgical procedure to help fight off infection. The day of the surgery it is often recommended that you not touch your mouth for roughly 12-18 hours. The day following surgery, you should start actively cleaning your mouth with warm saltwater rinses 5-6 times a day and a soft bristle toothbrush.
Take It Easy
Following dental implant surgery it is wise to take it easy for a few days. Working out, participating in sporting events, and going back to a physical job within the first 48 hours can hinder the healing process and cause excess bleeding at the surgical site.If you have any questions or concerns about dental implants and the role they can play in your life, call us today at (602) 279-1641 to setup a no obligation consultation.
