If you’ve been considering dental implants, you probably have a lot of questions. If you’re wondering about the price, the procedure and most of all, how implants will change your life, here are four steps to take to arm yourself with knowledge before you get to the dentist’s office for a consultation.
Understand The Cost
There is no doubt that implants are expensive. But they should be seen as an investment in your health, both physical and emotional. If you have missing teeth or bad teeth, you know the particular embarrassment of having an unattractive smile. Replacing your teeth with great-looking new ones will do wonders for your self-esteem and emotional health. If you already wear dentures, you probably got a big confidence boost when you got them.
What you may not know, is that implants offer oral health advantages over dentures, because they become a permanent part of your mouth, actually fusing with your jaw bone like real teeth. Implant cost is in the range of other major medical procedures. Dental insurance may not cover it, but other financing options are available.
Be Ready For The Actual Procedure
If you have teeth that need to be pulled, this can be done by a Los Gatos dentist, or an oral surgeon if you have complicated issues or need many teeth pulled at once. The actual implant surgery involves titanium posts being implanted into your jaw bone through your gums. After that, a connecting piece called an abutment is attached to the post. Finally, the artificial tooth, called a crown, is fixed to the abutment.
The whole procedure usually takes a few dental visits over the course of a few months.
Expect Some Discomfort
Do dental implants hurt? Don’t be embarrassed to ask this question. This is surgery, so there could be some discomfort. The surgery is done under anesthesia, but there may be some soreness after the surgery, just like there is with any surgical procedure.
Get Ready For Life With Implants
When your implants are finished and healed, your lifestyle can be the same as if you had your natural teeth. Implants require no special cleaning or care; just brush and floss like you would with real teeth. Implants are permanent and you should be able to eat most foods with no problem.
People who wear implants may have occasional issues that require a visit to the dentist. Implants can last a lifetime, but may occasionally need maintenance by a dentist.
Learn More
Having knowledge of implants before you talk to a dentist will help you to have a good exchange of information. It’s important to be able to inform the dentist of your desires and make sure the conversation covers all of your concerns.
If you would like to learn more about dental implants, please call Top Down Down at (408) 354-5600 for a consultation.
