How Dental Implants Work
How do implants work?
Dentures can sometimes be fitted poorly on your teeth and can slip within your mouth which causes mumbling or a slur in speaking. With dental implants, you’ll be speaking like you usually do without worrying that your teeth might slip off and embarrass you.
Because of this, most people opt for reconstructive surgery like Implants.
Do implants hurt?
Placing an implant is often easier than taking a tooth out and is usually done using a simple local anaesthetic. You will not feel any pain at the time but, just like after an extraction, you may feel some discomfort during the week after the surgery.
Sometimes your dentist might give you a sedative if you are very nervous or if the case is a complicated one. General anaesthetics are rarely used in dentistry and are generally only used for very complicated cases.
How long does the treatment take?
Your dental team will be able to give you a rough timetable before the treatment starts.
Some false teeth can now even be fitted at the same time as the implants, these are called ‘immediate implants. Check with your dentist to see whether these are suitable for you. Usually, the false teeth are fitted 3 to 4 months after the implants are put in. Sometimes treatment takes longer and your dental team will be able to talk to you about your treatment time.
What about aftercare?
Your dental team will give you instructions on how to look after your implant. They may give you some painkillers after the surgery – or make sure you have some at home – to take over the next few days if you need them.
A diet of soft food is recommended as solids could be painful. And be sure to take extra care of your oral health to avoid infections on your open wounds during the healing process.
What happens next?
After your implants have been placed, the bone in your jaw needs to grow onto them and fuse to them. This usually takes a few months. Sometimes the implants may be stable enough when they are placed for the false teeth to be fitted sooner than this.
If you are having up to three teeth replaced, you may have a temporary denture in the meantime. If you already have full dentures, you can keep wearing these while your implants are healing. Your dentures will need altering, to fit properly after the surgery, and a ‘healing cap’ will usually be placed onto the implant site to protect it.
If you have any other queries about implants, book an appointment with TAG Dental Clinic and our experienced dentist will be able to guide you through the entire process.