1. What are dental implants?
Dental implants are
substitutes for the roots of missing teeth. They act as an anchor
for a replacement tooth or crown or a set of replacement teeth.
2. Am I a candidate for implants?
Implant patients are of all
ages and implants may be the right choice for anyone missing one or
more teeth due to injury, disease or decay. They are especially
practical for patients who can no longer wear removable dentures.
Your dentist can determine if you are a candidate for dental
implants after a careful evaluation of your dental and medical
history.
3. Are there different kinds of
implants?
There are many shapes, sizes
and brands of implants available. Your AAID credentialed implant
dentist will know which implant is the right one for you.
4. Do I have enough bone?
It is important for a patient
to have enough bone to support the implant. If you do not have
enough bone, there are many safe and effective ways to correct bone
deficiency. Your dentist will assess this and advise you if
additional bone material is needed.
5. Will
this take a long time?
Treatment time can vary greatly
depending on your needs. Each situation needs a separate evaluation;
your AAID dentist will be able to give you an approximate timetable.
6. Whom should I consult for my implant
treatment?
Your general dentist is your
first resource for this service. The key is the implant dentist's
training, experience and credentials. AAID credentialed dentists
Include general dentists, periodontists, prosthodontists and oral
surgeons who perform the surgical and/or restorative procedures.
Dental Implants for Tooth Replacement
Your teeth were designed to
last a lifetime, but sometimes they don't! Replacing missing teeth
is important to your general health and to the health of your other
teeth. Not only do you lose chewing ability when a tooth is lost,
but unreplaced teeth can cause other teeth to be lost, tipped or
crowded and create subsequent problems. Also, there are the obvious
problems of poor appearance and loss of self-esteem caused by one or
more missing teeth.
Dental implants should always be
considered as an option to replace a failing or missing tooth.
Replacement of lost teeth with dental implants has been used for
treating missing teeth for more than 50 years and is recognized as
an effective treatment choice. Treatment is considered more
predictable than bridgework, resin bonded bridges and endodontic
treatment.
Source:
American Academy of Implant Dentistry
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