Dental Implant Can Be Done After Extraction
Tooth loss is a common global dental problem affecting kids and adults. People lose their teeth to various factors, including dental trauma, severe tooth decay, or advanced gum disease. Still, a dentist may recommend a tooth extraction. The good news is that you can get implants to replace your teeth so you do not remain toothless.
What Are Dental Implants?
They are dental appliances in restorative dentistry that replace missing teeth. Dental implants feature small titanium metal posts that serve as a tooth root replacement. As such, they are not sufficient for toot replacement by themselves. A dentist must employ another dental appliance to crown the tooth implant and complete the procedure. Depending on individual preferences and circumstances, it can either be a denture, dental bridge, or dental crown.
How Do Your Missing Teeth Affect Your Dental Health?
Losing natural teeth is not an easy thing. Even if you are missing just one tooth, it can influence your dental and general health in the following ways:
- Difficulty pronouncing certain words – you may even need speech therapy to retrain you to talk properly.
- Difficulty eating – you may struggle with biting and chewing when you lose teeth. The uneven bite may cause unnecessary pressure and tension to your jawbone.
- Dental pain – your gums and jawbone may suffer some discomfort due to tooth loss.
- Facial droopiness – without teeth, the facial muscles lack ample support, which may cause droopiness. Replacing teeth helps replace the fullness and youthfulness of your face.
How Do Dental Implants work?
Dental implants in Waco, TX, work by replacing the tooth root first, then the rest of the tooth structure. The procedure entails an incision on the gums to expose the jawbone, then drilling the bone to make room for the implant. The oral surgeon then places the metal post on the drilled hole and sews the gums together. At this point, your dentist will have you go home and heal for a few weeks before the other phase of your treatment. It should take about 3 months before you can visit your dentist for another dental procedure. In preparation for the next step, the dentist takes the impressions of your mouth to use for creating another dental restoration to crown the tooth implant. On the second visit, your dentist will place an abutment on the implant, then cover it with a dental crown to complete your treatment.
How Long After Tooth Loss Can You Get Dental Implants?
Dental implants near you are typically installed about 2 or 3 months after losing your natural teeth. However, some patients have gone longer than 3 months without their natural teeth yet can still get dental implants. The goal is to ensure you do not wait too long until your gum and bone tissues deteriorate, sabotaging your suitability for dental implants.
Can Dental Implants Be Done Immediately After Tooth Extraction?
The good news about dental implants in Waco, TX, is that you can get them soon after an extraction procedure. Once a dentist near you removes your natural tooth, you can request a restorative solution by getting dental implants. At Hillcrest Dental Care, we would only need to evaluate the health of your jawbone before proceeding with the implantation procedure. The procedure would be quicker since the dentist will not need to drill your jawbone or cut open your gums. Instead, (s)he will use the initial socket of your natural tooth to install the dental implant. The rest of the procedure will be similar to the conventional dental implant method.
Should You Replace Your Teeth Immediately?
There are benefits to immediate dental implants after a tooth extraction, including the following:
- You don’t have to go a single day without teeth – you may never understand the impact of tooth loss until you have been without teeth for a while.
- Speedy healing – a typical timeline for getting dental implants can be anywhere between 5 and 10 months. You will lengthen your timeline if you wait until your mouth heals after tooth extraction. Immediate dental implants ensure you reduce your timeline to at most 6 months.
- No need for surgery – with immediate dental implants, the dentist will not need to cut your gums or drill your jawbone to install them. The initial socket for your lost natural tooth will be sufficient for placing the tooth implant. Your dentist will only have to sew the gums, holding the implant in place.