If you’ve recently lost a tooth or have been having a problem with the root of one of your teeth due to trauma, decay or other problems, you may have been wondering whether getting Brooklyn dental implants is right for you. Unlike older dental technology like crowns, bridges or removable dentures, implants provide a straightforward way to get the results you need without having to worry about booking check-up and replacement appointments. Dental implants are inserted directly into your jawbone to act as a replacement for your tooth’s root, meaning they’ll be invisible after implantation as well as fairly maintenance-free. Before you go ahead and book your appointment, however, there are a few key facts about the procedure you should know.
1. You Need Adequate Jawbone
Since dental implants are screwed into your jawbone, you’ll need adequate jawbone there in order to qualify for the surgery. If you’ve been missing a tooth for a very long time for instance, it’s possible that the bone has shrunk, making it more difficult for your dentist to have a place to put the implant. If there’s doubt about whether you qualify, your dentist can take an x-ray of the area to determine whether you have enough bone, and whether that bone is healthy enough, to go ahead with the procedure.
2. You May Have To Quit Smoking First
It might come as a surprise that smoking would have anything to do with qualifying for a dental procedure, but regularly smoking heavily can actually increase the risk of the dental implant procedure failing. Smokers’ mouths often have delayed healing processes and bacteria can make the procedure riskier. For this reason, some dentists may require you to quit smoking before performing the surgery.
3. There’s Almost No Recovery Period
Perhaps surprisingly, getting dental implants doesn’t require much of a recovery period after the procedure. In fact, following a fairly painless procedure, you won’t need much downtime at all and may at most require some over-the-counter pain medication for a little while afterward. This means that you can get the dental treatment you need without having to worry about taking time off of work.
Losing a tooth or dealing with failed roots can be frustrating, but sometimes, options like bridges or dentures aren’t right for your situation. If this is the case, you may want to ask your dentist whether getting dental implants would be helpful for you. With their advantages, they could provide you the functional solution you need without the hassle and recovery period you don’t.