How Long Does It Take to Get Dental Implants?

The Benefits of Dental Implants

There are a variety of benefits to dental implants. Some of the top benefits of dental implants include:

• Strength. As dental implants are fused to the jawbone, they provide a high level of support. Patients can bite and chew with confidence and without worrying about the implants shifting or falling out.
• Longevity. While the crown of an implant will need to be changed out every 10 to 15 years or so, the implants themselves can last a lifetime. This longevity is a major benefit.
• Ongoing oral health. Without a tooth or teeth replacement, it can be difficult to take care of your oral health. This can lead to cavities, gum disease, and even the need for a tooth extraction. Dental implants help with your ongoing oral health.
• Speech. Having a missing tooth or teeth can actually change your speech patterns. A replacement will help you to maintain your natural way of speaking.
• Bone preservation. A lot of people don’t realize how important teeth are to maintaining the integrity of the jawbone. Over time, without teeth or a replacement, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate. Dental implants help to preserve the integrity of your jawbone.
• Appearance. It’s no surprise that people with a missing tooth or teeth often smile less. They are worried about their appearance. This, in turn, can affect their mood and self-esteem. With dental implants, you can smile wide without any worries. The appearance of dental implants can be made to look very similar to that of your natural teeth. People won’t even notice you have implants!
• Stopping teeth migration. One of the major issues with having a missing tooth or teeth is teeth migration. Over time, your teeth will begin to shift if they aren’t being held in place. This leads to impacting, crowding, and crooked teeth. Not only is this aesthetically unappealing, but it is also bad for your overall oral health. Having teeth in the wrong place can make it very difficult to brush and floss like normal. Because of this, you may miss areas. Over time, this leads to cavities and gum disease. Having a dental implant or implants will help to keep your remaining teeth in place and prevent them from shifting.

One thing to keep in mind is whether or not your jawbone has the integrity to support an implant, and what option you may have if it doesn’t. Your dentist may be able to perform a bone graft if you don’t have a strong enough jawbone to support the implant. This process is time-consuming and costly. Still, it’s a good option for long-term, better results. It’s important to keep in mind insurance providers often will not cover this procedure.

How Long Does It Take to Get Dental Implants?

The process of placing a dental implant varies. If you require a bone graft, for instance, the process will take quite a bit longer. With that said, the placement procedure of the rod or rods can often be done in one visit. After that, you will need to wait around 4-6 months for the implant or implants to fuse to your jawbone. After that, there will be another appointment where your dentist places the crown. At this point, the process is generally finished.