Dental Implant Surgery Myths and Facts

Dental implant surgery has become a popular way to replace missing teeth. The surgery is a relatively new treatment when compared to traditional dental procedures like tooth extractions or fillings. That is why there are so many rumors and myths about the procedure.

If you are thinking of getting dental implants, then allow us to dispel the myths and give you useful information.

How dental implant surgery is done

A dental implant is the part of an artificial tooth that acts like the natural root. Its job is to anchor a dental crown or bridge. An implant is fitted in several steps:

• To place a dental crown, a dentist or oral surgeon clears a patient for surgery
• Where necessary, they perform bone graft surgery to prepare the jaw for the implant
• After the jaw has healed, the dentist opens the gum to access the jaw; they drill a small space in the jaw and place the implant inside
• They close up the gums and wait for the implant to fuse with the jawbone
• After a while, the dentist opens the gums to access the implant; they attach a connector to the implant and close the gum, leaving the upper part of the connector above the gums
• Once the gums have healed, the dentist attaches a dental crown or bridge to the connector

The myths and facts

For most people, the word surgery brings up all sorts of anxiety. It makes them think twice about getting a dental implant. The truth is that dental implant surgery is not as daunting as it is made out to be. Here are common myths people hear, followed by the truth.

1. It hurts

The logic here is: Because the dentist will have to access the jawbone by cutting the gum open, the procedure has got to hurt. The truth is that the dentist will use an anesthetic to numb the mouth; they may even use a general anesthetic.

Better still, the surgery is not that invasive. The dentist only makes small incisions in the gum in order to reach the jaw. This, along with the anesthetic, means that a person will feel no pain during the surgery.

As a person heals, they will manage any pain with the medication that the dentist prescribed.

2. It takes a long time to heal

A person does not need to spend weeks laid up in bed. Usually, a person who has gone through dental implant surgery resumes their normal life about one week after the procedure.

3. The procedure is risky

In reality, dental implant surgery has a success rate that is north of 95 percent. All a person has to do is find a qualified, skilled and experienced specialist.

4. People can tell

Actually, dental implants are pretty much indistinguishable from natural teeth, which makes it hard for people to spot the difference between implant-supported teeth and the rest of a person’s teeth.

5. Any dentist can do the procedure

That is absolutely not the case. The success of a dental implant largely depends on the skill, qualifications and experience of the person doing the surgery. The procedure is best performed by periodontists, oral surgeons and other dental specialists who spend most of their time placing implants.

Get a skilled dentist to do the surgery

If you want your dental implant surgery to go smoothly, find a specialist who has done the procedure countless times before. The perfect surgeon will have a high success rate and many happy patients who leave rave reviews.

If you need a skilled dentist to replace a missing tooth, talk to one of our dentists.

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