Considering an implant? Here’s what you need to know

When an empty place appears in your mouth, it can severely damage the quality of your life. We’re not just talking about the visual side of the problem because the missing tooth might as well be on the side and completely invisible externally. In this instance, the problem affects your ability to chew your food properly and can lead to serious digestive issues in the long run. 

Why an implant instead of a bridge?

Although a bridge is a more inexpensive solution and the procedure is a lot simpler, a dental implant is a better solution in the long run. Why? When a tooth is missing from a location, there’s nothing for the bone to support, leading to the jawbone thinning over time. The process is slow, and you’re unlikely to notice it, but it will probably cause issues with the surrounding teeth.

How to choose an implant?

There isn’t a single best way to choose an implant. The choice will largely depend on where you are and your general plans in life (although we understand that life can be pretty unpredictable). Why so? When working with implants, dental surgeons need to understand the specifics of each brand, and although many can be similar, they will want to know all details of the product they are working with. 

Choose an established international brand

As we mentioned above, dental surgeons will want to know everything about the product they’re working with. This means that if you move countries after you’ve had your implant placed and there’s an issue with it, it may be challenging to find a dentist who will be willing to look into it. Dentists in the new country may be concerned about their lack of understanding of the brand you’ve chosen and end up refusing to take you on as a patient.

The process is long

Unlike getting a bridge, getting a dental implant is a long process. After the bottom part of the implant is placed in the jawbone, you’ll spend a few months waiting for the bone to heal and calcify the location well before the crown can be added. This shouldn’t discourage you, though – the calcification process is precisely what will retain the integrity of the bone and secure the surrounding teeth.

There’s no guarantee that it will work

Although this is exceptionally unpleasant to admit, there’s no guarantee that your dental implant will work, regardless of how much it costs. It’s all about the biological response – if your body accepts the implant and the bone calcifies well, then great. If it doesn’t, however, the process may need to restart all over again and even involve bone grafting (adding a synthetic bone to the jaw).

Store all leaflets, doctors instructions, and medical notes

Regardless of whether you move cities or countries after having a dental implant placed, you should always store any medical notes from the procedure you can. There’s always the chance that you need to change dental surgeries for one reason or another, and providing your new dentist with the most information about your dental implant will help spare you a lot of trouble.

Consider all-on-4, 6, or 8 if you have more missing teeth

Having a single dental implant when there’s a single missing tooth is the best option, but when more teeth are missing or if you have a severe dental problem with some, you may want to consider all-on-4, all-on-6, or all-on-8. These describe a dental implant structure with only 4, 6, or 8 actual implants inside the jawbone and a dental prosthesis on top. This could be a much better alternative both financially and in terms of a treatment experience.

If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to contact us!