Many times as a person begins to age, they will start to have a number of issues with their teeth. If problems are too severe, they may actually need to have teeth pulled. This can result in gaps in their teeth, which can make it difficult to speak, eat and smile. This can often have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life. In such cases, it can be a good idea for a person to consider dental implants to replace the missing teeth.
A Family Dentist in Kona can be helpful in discussing this type of treatment with a patient and helping to determine if this type of treatment would be a good option for the patient. Generally, the dentist will need to do an examination and take x-rays of the patient’s mouth to make sure they have sufficient bone mass to handle endosteal dental implants.
With this type of treatment, a rod of a biocompatible material will be surgically placed into the patient’s jawbone. Because of this, the patient must have enough bone mass to accommodate the procedure. Most people will lose bone mass after a tooth or teeth has been removed. This happens because there is no longer a root system in place to support the tooth and the bone starts to deteriorate. A dentist will need to determine how extensive this damage is before he or she begins any type of dental implant treatments.
If the patient has enough bone mass a dentist, like Carter S. Yokoyama, DDS can then perform the operation to place the rods in the jaw. This is generally done in the dentist’s office while the patient is under local anesthesia. Once the surgery is complete, the rods and bone must be given a period of months so they can bond together. This is necessary, as this will keep the rods secure in the mouth.
After the bonding is completed, the dentist can then attach crowns, bridges or dentures to the rods. This will replace the missing teeth in a way that is natural looking and feeling. This can be a great advantage as the patient will be able to eat, speak and smile as they did before they lost their teeth. This can be a great boost to their self-confidence. Click here for more details.
