Every year 100,000 to 300,000 dental implants are placed. Losing teeth due to an accident, failed root canal, gum disease, or tooth decay is exceptionally common.
You likely know someone who has a dental implant. If you need a front tooth replacement, that person might be you!
Dental implants are one of the best ways to replace a tooth. It’s safe, it works great, and it looks beautiful. No one should be able to tell that it isn’t a real tooth.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about dental implants.
When Should You Seek Emergency Dentistry?
If you have damaged or chipped your tooth, chances are your dentist will not see it as an emergency. You may have to wait a few days before they can get you in for bonding or repair in another way.
A missing tooth, however, is a different case altogether. If you have knocked out a tooth, you might need emergency care to save it. Your tooth may survive if you can get it back in the socket within an hour.
After an hour, the tooth is likely unable to be saved. You will have to review other options with your dentist for tooth replacement.
Common Ways of Front Tooth Replacement
There are three common front tooth replacement methods. They are a dental implant, a fixed bridge, and partial dentures.
Dental implants are one of the most common ways to correct missing front teeth. They are surgically fastened to your jawbone and come in many different shades to perfectly match your other teeth.
Fixed bridges are less preferable to dental implants, but sometimes they are needed. Some people have bone loss where they are missing teeth, and an implant needs healthy bone to attach to. Bridges are a good alternative.
Flippers or partial dentures are other options, but often they are a temporary solution. False teeth attach to plastic, so no one can tell you are missing teeth when it’s worn.
What to Expect When You Have a Dental Implant
When you decide to get a dental implant for front tooth replacement, you will have to undergo surgery. While a person is under anesthesia, a surgeon cuts open the gums to reveal the bone.
They drill holes into the bone where the dental implant will go. Once the metal implant is in, the first part is over, and it is time to heal. The jawbone must fuse to the metal. This can take 6 to 12 weeks.
When the healing process is complete, the dentist will place an abutment into the implant. This is a metal post that the false tooth will attach to. When that is placed, they can finally mount the replacement tooth.
Often, a dental implant is a healthy and realistic way to replace a tooth. Emergency dental implants are not uncommon to fix a front tooth that has been knocked out.
They are a very similar procedure that bypasses the healing process and immediately replaces the broken tooth with a new one. Depending on your situation you may receive a same-day dental implant.
Get Your Front Teeth Back
Losing your front teeth can be traumatic and ruin your day or your plans. No one likes going out with a less-than-perfect smile. If you lost your front teeth, you might consider a front tooth replacement with dental implants.
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