subject: Basics Of Dental Implants [print this page] Dental Implants are usually installed by a prosthodontics dentist specialist. Dental Implants can also be installed by a maxillofacial surgeon. A general dentistry will more than likely not perform dental implants installation, but rather refer their dental patients to a maxillofacial surgeon or prosthodontics specialist for the dental implants process.
The purpose of dental implants is to replace missing teeth. Dental implants can be for one or more teeth. Dental implants can replace dentures, capped teeth, veneers, or any missing teeth. Dental implants are fake teeth that are anchored to the jaw bone so that the dental implants are permanent teeth fixtures.
Other options in place of dental implants, for instance if a patient is not a good candidate for dental implants or if a dental patient doesn't want to go through a dental implants surgery or if a patient wants a more less expensive dental procedure, a dentist can perform other dental work such as dental bridgework. Bridgework is permanent just like dental implants, but dental bridgework doesn't require the intensive surgery process that dental implants require. Dental bridgework uses dental plastics, dental metals, and/or dental porcelain to fill in the missing teeth gaps. Dental bridgework gets its name because it forms a bridge from one tooth to another tooth, cementing the dental materials to the teeth while at the same time filling in the missing teeth hole. Dental bridgework is usually used for missing molar teeth. Dental implants is a better option for replacing front teeth or teeth that show when a dental patient smiles.
Dental implants are a good solution especially for a dental patient that has knocked out their teeth in an accident. A dental patient who has missing tooth due to dental decay may not be able to have dental implants because of the decay and bone loss common in a mouth with dental decay that causes teeth to fall out.
To be a good candidate for dental implants a dental patient must have jaw bone in good health since the dental implants are drilled into and anchored into the jaw bone to imitate natural teeth. Because of the extensive surgery that a prosthodontics specialist or maxillofacial surgeon must do to create a space in the bone to anchor the dental implants to, the dental surgeon will also ensure that the dental patient has good dental health and dental tissue in good health. Any dental decay and gum disease can spread quickly during a dental implants surgery to the dental patients bone and cause other health problems. Also, for dental implants to be installed a dental patient must first heal from the first surgery where the anchor hole is created by the maxillofacial surgeon to anchor dental implants. So, if a dental patient has any health problems, especially dental health problems the dental patient must heal from these health problems before the first surgery required for dental implants is performed. This is why dental patients who may have missing teeth due to an accident are usually better candidates for dental implants than those dental patients who have missing teeth due to tooth decay and gum disease.
