You only have one set of adult teeth, and they need to last until you are 80, 90, or beyond. The actions you take towards your teeth today will either benefit you or harm you in the future. Of course, good dental care starts with seeing a dentist regularly. You should go in for cleanings and checkups, and any other time you think something might be amiss with your teeth. Education is important when it comes to any aspect of your health, so start reading the articles on this website to educate yourself about dentists and dental care. We promise that when you're 80 and you still have your teeth, you won't regret the time spent.
The Tooth of the Matter: A Dental Blog
This Is Why A Waiting Period Is Necessary Before You Can Finish Your Dental Implants
Sofia Curtis
If you've been interested in dental implants, there's a chance you've been doing some reading about them. One of the things you may have read is that there's often a waiting period after you initially get your implants to when you can get the crown mounted on top. If you've been wondering why this is and if there's a way to speed it up, this is what you need to know.
Why It's Done
First of all, it's true - there is a small waiting period when you get dental implants. But it's for a very good reason. It's because you need your body to heal around the dental implant to help secure it in place. This means that your gums, which are cut open to insert the implant, need to come together and seal back up around the edges of the implant to keep it firmly in place. This will also ensure that no debris gets into the incision and that if an infection develops, it can be treated easily without having to remove the crown from the tooth.
What's Happening Out of Sight
However, that's not the only thing that's going on with your dental implant. It's not just up to your gums to heal; it's also up to your bones.
Your dental implant will extend down into your jaw bone and will rest there. However, it's not enough for it to just loosely rest on your bone. The bone needs to grow around it the same way that the gums will. This is a process that takes longer than having your gums heal, however. The body grows new bone cells gradually to replace old ones, so day by day, the base of your dental implant will gradually become coated in new bone cells and will fuse together with your jaw bone. This is what your dentist wants to happen, as the jaw is what provides dental implants with their support and strength.
After
Once enough time has passed for the bone and the gums to heal, you'll visit your dentist one more time. They'll perform a dental X-ray to ensure that everything is progressing the way that it's supposed to and to be absolutely certain that the bone cells have grown around the implants the way they should. If everything looks good, you can get your crown right away.
Dental crowns are very easy to affix to dental implants. In some cases, they don't even require dental cement as they're attached to the implant itself. Putting on the crown is essentially as simple as pressing it on, and then you're done. It's as easy as that!
There's a very good reason why you need to wait a while with dental implants, but it's well worth the time. Dental implants are one of the longest-lasting tooth replacements out there, and they're the most realistic-looking. Take the time and get the replacement that will serve you well.
To learn more about dental implants, contact a dentist.
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