When you are missing a tooth, you have more than one problem. Yes, your smile has this unsightly gap in it. However, you could also have trouble eating normally since you don’t have all of your teeth. Without the tooth in your smile, your other teeth can also slide out of alignment. Your jawbone even begins to deteriorate without that tooth’s root in place.
That’s why getting a dental implant is very important. This restorative dentistry treatment connects a life-like replacement tooth with an artificial, titanium tooth root. It’s probably the most durable and long-lasting way to replace a missing tooth. Despite that, some people worry they cannot get dental implants. Here are several reasons why, and how you really can get dental implants.
Why You Can Get Dental Implants
- Between dental sedation and local anesthetic, you should feel very little discomfort. In order to get a dental implant, you will need oral surgery. That’s because our dentists will need to implant the titanium root in your jawbone. After all, that’s what makes dental implants so strong and durable. This also helps keep your jawbone healthy. Because it’s oral surgery, you may think it’s too painful to get a dental implant. However, our dentists are highly trained and experienced. With such expertise and some local anesthetic, you should feel nothing. If you are still concerned, you can get dental sedation to help.
- You’re old enough, so your jawbone has stopped growing. Because dental implants are placed in your jawbone, some people are too young to receive them safely. In people younger than 16 years old, the bone tissues are still growing. Putting in an artificial tooth root at that point wouldn’t work because it would shift as the bone grew. However, most people in the late teens or older can receive dental implants. Don’t let age be an issue for replacing missing teeth.
- Bone grafts can get your jawbone healthy and thick enough to support the implant. You might be old enough for a dental implant, but you might not have the right bone for it. Because the artificial root is implanted in your jawbone, the bone tissue there must be healthy. If you’ve gone a while without a tooth there, the bone might have deteriorated. Your jawbone might also just be naturally thin. In either case, there’s not enough healthy bone tissue to safely secure the root. In these cases, you can still get the dental implant if you first get a bone graft. Our dentists will surgically graft healthy bone tissue to the site so the implant can be secure.
- Mini dental implants can work when regular-sized implants will not fit. Not everyone is able to get bone grafts. Plus, some people have very small teeth. That’s especially true at the front of your mouth where the teeth are smaller. Can you get a regular dental implant in these cases? Often not, but there is an alternative. At either our Bridgeport or Shelton locations, you can get mini dental implants. These are still implants, but the artificial root is much thinner. It’s perfect for when you need smaller teeth replaced. Mini dental implants also work when the bone is too thin for a regular one.
- Your implants can hold onto dentures to replace a full arch of teeth. You might be thinking that you shouldn’t bother with dental implants because you have too many teeth to replace. Dental implants replace one missing tooth at a time, right? That’s technically true, but at the DeJesus Dental Group, there is a different option: implant-secured dentures. These are still dentures; you still get a full arch of replacement teeth set in a gum-colored base. It fits over your gums. Instead of using an adhesive to stick to the gums, these are connected to several implanted roots. Implant-secured dentures help keep your jawbone healthy and hold the dentures securely in your mouth.
- Dental sedation can be used to get you past any dental anxiety. Even if you know the pain will not be a problem, getting a dental implant could cause you some anxiety. You are getting a titanium root placed in your jawbone, then having a replacement tooth attached to that. Few people would get excited about the procedure, but if you are dreading it, you may think it’s time to find a different restorative dentistry option. That’s where dental sedation can help. Nitrous oxide and oral medication can both wash away any fears or concerns. You’ll be able to get your restorative dentistry treatment as planned and get your smile back.
Contact either of our two Connecticut offices — Bridgeport/Trumbull at 203-372-1220 or Shelton at 203-378-9737 — or use our online tool to book an appointment and learn more about how dental implants will help you.