‘Never regret anything that makes you smile’. Dental Care plays a very important part of our daily hygiene and it is very much necessary to look after it as it not only improves your overall personality and appearance but also creates a positive vibe for yourself and to others.

People face a lot of problems for keeping their teeth intact and still it happens that we lose some of them to decaying, aging, and accidental at times despite practicing good oral hygiene during that time Dental implants come to our rescue if we have healthy gums & adequate bones to support them. Invisible Braces led by Dr. Kothari are experts for Dental Implants in Mumbai.

What are dental implants?

Dental Implants are the titanium fixture that is placed in the jawbone and acts as a replacement for missing tooth which is made to match your natural teeth. Dental implants are substitutes for dentures or bridgework. These are the strongest device for supporting the replacement of the teeth and their feel, look, and its functions are completely natural.

How does it work?

Implants are integrated with jawbones providing stable support to the artificial teeth. It won’t slip or shift in the mouth while eating and speaking. Implants give the feeling of natural teeth compared to conventional bridges or dentures.

Bridges and dentures are not possible or comfortable because of sore spots, gagging, and poor ridges and ordinary bridges are required to be attached to teeth on either side of the space created by missing tooth whereas with implants there is no need for adjacent teeth to hold your new replacement teeth in place.

The most important factor for receiving implants is to have healthy gums and adequate bones for supporting the implant. Keeping these structures healthy, maintaining oral hygiene, a regular visit to the dentists is the key to the long-term success of the implants. There are multiple steps involved to complete this process which includes:

• Removal of damaged teeth/tooth
• Preparation of the jawbone when needed
• Placement for dental implant
• Growth of bone & healing
• Placement of abutment
• Placement of artificial teeth/tooth

After each stage, you may require to eat soft food till the surgical area heals as the surgeon will use the stitches which dissolve on their own. This entire process takes 3 – 4 months to complete from start to finish. Maximum time is taken for healing and waiting for the new bone to grow in your jaw. Dental implants are divided into two parts :

1. Endosteal Implant – Once the surrounding gum tissues get healed, surgery is conducted to connect a post to the original implant. Later the artificial teeth/tooth is attached to the post or grouped on a bridge or denture. Direct fixing with the help of surgery in the jawbone is the benefit of Dental implants. They are made up of titanium and shaped like the screws and this is the most commonly used implant method.

2. Subperiosteal Implant – This treatment is for the patients who do not have healthy natural jawbone and do not or can’t go for the augmentation process. Dental implants are placed under the gum but above or on the jawbone. If the jawbone is unable to support the implant then different techniques can be used for rebuilding bone and restoring the natural jawline. The process includes

Bone augmentation – restoring or regenerating the bone in the jaw.

Sinus lift – adding bone below the sinus when the natural bone is deteriorated because of the missing of upper back teeth.

Ridge expansion – if the jaw isn’t wide that will support the implant then bone grafting material will be added to the space created along the top of the jaw.

3D Imaging – 3D digital imaging is highly precise and implant surgery planning software has made dental implant procedures fast and predictable. The anatomy of your jaw can be analyzed with these tools by determining the best site for implant placement before the surgery which will save time, money, and shortens the recovery period.

Advantages of Dental Implant

Dental implants are a smart choice for the adults who had to remove the teeth/tooth due to injury, decaying, and infection. With dental implants no other healthy teeth can be damaged which is done while opting for dental bridges or dentures.

Dental implants keep intact the natural look of the teeth as well it fits and functions like natural teeth. It gives a complete normal feel and no need to think about it. Brushing and flossing can be done the way it is done with natural teeth neither it is required to remove for cleaning it. It helps to retain your natural smile.

Dental implants if cared properly can last for decades compared to dentures or bridges that may be required to be replaced after 5 to 10 years requiring an investment of your time and money and going through the procedure again.

Dental implants are safe & secure as it won’t slip or click while laugh, eat, or talk. Your speech will remain normal and natural and you can smile broadly the way you like and get Kodak smile every time you click a picture.

Dental implants protect your facial bones and healthy teeth. This is the only option for tooth replacement as it helps stimulate bone growth and prevents bone loss. Make sure to get the implant immediately after losing the teeth as it helps in preventing bone loss at the site. Implants don’t require on grinding down the adjacent teeth that anchor the bridges or for attaching partial dentures.

Follow-up Care

Good oral hygiene with routine brushing and flossing to keep food debris and plaque away.

Follow-up with the dentist regularly for the proper functioning of the implants.

Avoid chewing very hard items such as ice and hard candy as it may break the crown or natural teeth. Avoid tobacco and caffeine products. Get treated if you grind your teeth.

Dental Implants are considered as the most reliable and effective way to get treated for the teeth/tooth loss due to decaying or accident wherein healthy teeth are unaffected as implants are placed in the jawbone through surgery.