Many Long Islanders are now choosing dental implants over crowns, bridges or dentures. There are many reasons for this: not only are they more durable than other options, they can be more cost effective over the long term. In addition, many people prefer the comfort and security of a tooth replacement that looks and acts just like a real tooth. Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking about getting dental implants.
What are they?
It’s important to know exactly what implants are and how they differ from traditional means of replacing teeth. Unlike dentures or bridges, implants actually become a part of the mouth: a titanium screw is attached to the jawbone, mimicking the way in which teeth are attached. This is then capped by a crown, replicating, as best we can, the look and feel of a real, natural tooth. The strength of the resulting implant is remarkable: many last for the duration of the patient’s life.
Who is Qualified?
The primary requirement for receiving an implant is the presence of a solid, healthy jawbone in the area where the titanium post will be inserted. When a tooth is lost, the body begins to remove the bone from the spot where the tooth was rooted. If this is allowed to go on for an extended period of time, the bone will be lost entirely and there will be nowhere to seat the implant. Should you decide to investigate implants for yourself, your dentist or periodontist will take x rays to make sure that there is healthy bone waiting to receive the implant. Another consideration is diabetes: if you suffer from diabetes that is poorly controlled, your gums may have a difficult time recovering from the implant surgery. Smokers often have a similar problem, given the repeated introduction of caustic chemicals to the mouth.
What Happens?
The first step of the process is ensuring that a patient is a good candidate: as we said, a simple x ray can show whether there is enough healthy bone in the right places to facilitate implants. If this is the case, a follow up visit is scheduled where the patient will be put under anesthetic and the implant will be performed and a crown placed. This first crown might be a temporary one to allow for healing to occur, but a permanent crown may be added after.
For dental implants on Long Island, contact Dr David Scharf at (631)661-6633. More information on his site at http://www.drscharf.com/.
