9 Most frequent dental implant questions asked by patients

Teeth are one of the most underrated elements in our body. We hardly care for them enough until one or a few of them goes amiss or becomes a source of unbearable pain. Taking proper care of your pearly whites is of utmost importance for maintaining your overall oral health.

With the upcoming technology, modern dentistry has taken a turn for better, with solutions for all dental problems starting from basic tooth removal to Cosmetic dentistry including 3D Smile designing. One of the most essential of the lot being Dental Implants.

Be it a tooth loss due to some accident, a birth defect or just due to old age, dental implants are a saviour. They are artificial screw like implants getting attached to your gum to provide longevity and toughness, with suitable crowns to match your enamel. Mostly made of titanium, they are economic options which can save you a number of socially awkward situations.

While the benefits of dental implants are huge, ranging from improving your face structure and smile to helping chew better leading to proper digestion, patients have a million questions when going for implants.

The doubts and concerns in the minds of the patients are quite usual and therefore here are a few most asked questions by patients in line for undergoing dental implants:

1. Am I the ideal candidate for a dental implant?

–    Dental implants are for everyone. It does not have an age bar. It depends on your gum and jaw bone structure. Normally by the age of 20, the jaw bone is matured and strengthened enough for undergoing the procedure.

2. How expensive will be the entire treatment procedure?

–    There is no denying the fact that dental implants are expensive. But given the longevity and effectiveness, the expense can be rightly termed as an investment which reaps long term benefits. Another feasible option is dental bridges which last for only seven to fifteen years are less expensive comparatively, but dental implants are more effective and can last up to ten years more than bridges thus the cost goes up as well.

3. Are dental implants a safe option?

–    Yes, Dental Implants are 100% safe and provide results which are long-lasting and effective. The procedure has been in practice for over 50 years with an overall success rate of 95%. Ensuring overall good health with oral hygiene is essential for the success of the procedure. With the advancement of technology, dental implants are often performed in a single day with modern methods.

4. What side effects are expected after the surgery?

–    Even though dental implants themselves do not have any side effect by themselves, but since they involve a surgical procedure so general chances of infection are there. Chances of nerve damage at the surgical site are also very common, but all these are temporary discomforts and they go away with the advancement of the healing process.

5. Will people be able to detect dental implants when I smile or talk?

–    Dental implants match the colour of the enamel of your natural teeth and are not detectable at all. If you don’t inform others about your dental implants, then there are high chances that the dental implants will go unnoticed and can easily pass as your natural teeth. With the increase in the quality of dental implants, they closely resemble your normal teeth and have no chances of looking fake.

6. Will there be pain? If yes, what precautions to be taken?

–    Dental Implants do not involve any pain. They are surprisingly painless and are often said to be more painless than normal tooth removal procedures. A small amount of pressure can be felt on the gums during the procedure but in general, as the patient is under the influence of anaesthesia less or no pain is felt throughout the entire procedure.

7. Do dental implants require a lot of care and maintenance?

–    In general dental implants do not require any extra care. Regular brushing and flossing will keep them in good condition and maintain their longevity. In order to keep them in good condition, we need to follow the daily oral routine with necessary consultation from your dentist. Certain dental implants require care against erosion due to excess acidic condition in the mouth.

8. Will I feel uncomfortable with the dental implants and will it hinder my speech?

–    After the procedure, having foreign elements might seem uncomfortable, but as they continue healing they feel more normal like your natural teeth. As for the concern regarding speech getting affected, no dental implants rather hampering speech, they improve speech if any deformity was present previously.

9. How long will I take to get back to my regular routine after the treatment procedure?

–    With the development of new improved dental surgical procedures, the healing process has been made super-fast. New procedures like one-day dental implants in a single sitting are also available. Many are able to resume their daily routine on the very day the procedure is completed. Normal healing can take anything up to six to eight weeks but maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following an effective oral hygiene routine can hasten the healing procedure to a large extent.

Now, that all the necessary questions are covered which patients generally have before undergoing dental implants, it can be confidently said that dental implants are the safest and the easiest option to go for while trying to find a remedy for missing tooth or even a set of teeth.