Dental implants can improve your smile and make it easier to bite and chew. They even help prevent bone loss due to a missing tooth. Implants can make dentures secure or just replace a single tooth. It's worth getting an implant even if you just have one tooth missing so you can maintain your oral health well into old age. Here's information about dental implant procedures.

An Incision Is Required For The Procedure

Getting implants is a type of oral surgery. The dentist needs to make an incision in your gums to reach your bone. When the surgery is over, the incision is closed with stitches. There are different suture materials your dentist can choose from, and they dissolve at different rates. Your stitches should dissolve within a couple of weeks, so they won't need to be removed by the dentist.

The Implant Is Screwed Deep Into Your Bone

The most common type of implant is screwed deep into your bone. In this portion of the dental implant procedure, the dentist drills a hole in your bone for the implant. The implant is shaped like a screw, and it's screwed deep into the bone so it can hold the tooth securely. There are different kinds of implants, so you'll get details about your procedure from your dentist. Your dentist will explain exactly what your implant procedure will entail.

There is even an implant procedure that places a metal frame over your bone rather than drilling into it with the implant. Your dentist will decide on the right type of implant to provide depending on the amount of bone loss you have and other factors. Once the implant is in place, you need to allow time for it to fuse with your bone. This often takes several weeks, and that's why getting a dental implant can be a long process.

An Abutment Is Added Followed By The Crown

Once the dental implant procedure has healed and the bone has fused with the implant, it's time to put on the abutment. This requires opening up your gums and attaching the abutment to the implant. When the abutment is in place, time is allowed for your gums to heal. When your gums are ready, your dentist can take molds of your implant area so a dental lab can make your permanent crown. This takes additional time, and when the crown is ready, the dentist attaches it to the abutment.

At this point, your new tooth will be in place and your smile and chewing ability will be restored. Plus, the crown will act and look like a natural tooth so you can smile and eat with confidence.