Braces as an adult? No way. At least, that was what I thought when my dentist told me that I was going to have to see an orthodontist about my crooked teeth. But my teeth were so misaligned that they were causing me pain when I chewed, so I decided to at least look into it. Turns out braces today are nothing like the ones my friends had when I was a kid. Mine were practically invisible, and I didn't need to wear them that long. I started this blog to encourage other people like me who are nervous about the prospect of wearing braces as an adult. My straight smile is so worth the trips to the orthodontist, and wearing braces was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Read on to find out more about how you can straighten your smile.
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Having a dental implant is a drawn out process. It takes a few return visits to the dentist that are spread out over the span of several months. Tom many patients this is a stressful process. However, if you know what to expect, it is not too bad. You can be prepared and have less stress leading up to each visit.
Removal of the Existing Tooth
An implant becomes necessary when so much of the tooth has decayed that it is basically beyond repair. No amount of cavity filling or root canals can fix the problem when the actual base of the tooth reaches a certain point, so the dentist will extract your entire tooth. The difficulty and pain of this will actually depend on the amount of decay. An honest dentist will tell you that they cannot predict how hard it will be to remove a tooth. In some instances the tooth will crumble and need to be removed piece by piece. Or, the tooth could pull right out in a matter of seconds. Either way, you will have strong local anesthetics so you should be completely numb. If you have anxiety about dental visits, you always have the option of getting full sedation if you can afford it.
Once the tooth is removed from the socket, the dentist will apply a special bone aggregate. This settles directly on your jaw bone and grafts with the bone to create a base for your implant. This aggregate needs to settle in your mouth for a few months before any more work can be done. You will get a couple of small stitches to close up the socket and you will then be done with the hardest part of the entire implant process.
Finishing the Implant
You will return to the dentist after 3 or 4 months to check on the process of the bone graft. If it has settled correctly, it will be ready for the implant. The implant will be molded to match the shape and bite of your old tooth based on x-rays that were taken before it was removed. You will need to be numbed for the implant, but it is not as traumatic as the tooth removal. The implant is glued onto the new tooth root and you are done. Of course, you will be advised to go easy on that tooth for a while after the operation.
If you think you need a dental implant, consider a company like Alliance Family Dental.
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