It’s upsetting when a patient looses a tooth. It doesn’t matter if the tooth was knocked out playing sports or extracted because of an infection. The patient still worries about what people will think of their appearance. Their dentist can quickly reassure them that a Tooth Implant in Bethesda MD will effectively replace their natural tooth. When it is topped with a porcelain crown, no one will ever guess that it’s not a natural tooth. It’s important to begin the implant process as soon as possible after the jaw has healed from the tooth loss. If the patient waits too long, the jaw may be too weak to hold the implant.
After the jaw has healed from the tooth loss, the dentist will take a detailed x-ray of the jaw. This will confirm that it can support a dental implant. It will also show the dentist where the adjacent tooth roots and nerves are located. The Tooth Implant in Bethesda MD must not interfere with either of these, if it is to be successful. If the jaw is not able to support an implant, an oral surgeon can augment it with a bone graft. Dental implants are made from Titanium. This is the same metal that artificial knees and hips are made from. The body tolerates it well and there is very little chance of rejections.
The dentist uses a dental drill to insert the implant into the jawbone. He then covers it over with a flap of tissue. It takes about eight weeks for the jaw to fully incorporate the dental implant. After this occurs, the dental implant is as strong as any natural tooth root. The doctor uncovers a flap and and adds a metal post to the implant. This will be used to attach the crown to the implant. This then takes a few weeks to heal. The dentist takes an impression and sends it to a dental laboratory. In about 10 days, the patient returns to have to porcelain crown attached to the implant.
Aspen Hill Family Dentistry provides this service for its patients. Contact them for further information. You can also check their Facebook page for more information.