5 Things to Consider Before Getting Dental Implants

The most common misconception about dental implants is that it is a purely cosmetic procedure. Undoubtedly, it improves a person's physical appearance and involves a cosmetic aspect, but that is not all it does. These implants support dentures, artificial teeth, bridges and crowns. This helps significantly with a person's ability to chew their food. It also helps with improving an individual's speech which is negatively impacted by tooth loss. 

For anyone intending to get a dental implant surgery, there are certain things that they need to consider first. 

Getting a thorough dental consultation from a reputable dentist in Woollahra is important before making up your mind regarding this procedure. Following are some factors that will help you in making an informed decision. 

You need to plan your dental consultation and prepare all the questions you need to ask the dentist. Ask detailed questions regarding the procedure. This is an intricate surgery that goes over multiple sessions. Extra visits are required by those who need bone grafts. 

The implants require some time to settle in and heal. Once the devices have appropriately integrated with your jaw, the dentist can put in the customised teeth. 

The dental implants are inserted in your jawbone. The bone must be strong enough for the implants to latch on to. When you lose a tooth, the jaw bone in that area starts to recede and shrink. Your dentist may recommend getting an X-ray or 3D imaging done to check the present condition and health of the bone. This will determine whether you are a suitable candidate for this surgery. 

The recovery time for this surgery ranges between five and eight months. This is highly dependent on how well you follow your dentist’s instructions. If you wish to make a faster recovery, you have to make sure that you maintain a soft diet and avoid smoking. 

Regularly brushing your teeth followed by flossing is imperative to prevent cavities, tartar buildup, implant failure and gum diseases. You also need to make lifestyle changes like giving up smoking for good if you really wish for your implant surgery to be a long-term success.

Make sure you ask your Bondi Junction dentist about all the costs involved with the procedure. Dental implant procedures can be pricey depending on the number and types of implants. All this is a part of good planning before signing up for a major surgery. Moreover, you may need to make lifestyle changes and diet changes and factor in recovery time (which may involve taking time off work) to the total costs of the procedure.

In this case, the most important deciding factor is your jaw bone health. If you have a gum disease that has left your bone weak, then you may not be able to get implants. Aside from this, if you lost your teeth a long time ago, then the bone may have weakened as well. In either case, you should get a consult and let your dentist help you come to a definite conclusion. 

Health conditions like uncontrolled diabetes can also make you an unsuitable candidate for dental implants. If you are undergoing any type of radiation therapy, it can increase your risk of dental implant failure. 

You should discuss all your health issues with your dentist in detail to determine the suitability of this procedure for you. 

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