If you have lost a tooth, you may wonder about dental implants and whether they can help you. Getting an artificial tooth implant is a long process, but it can result in a great tooth that you will be proud to show off when you smile. Are implants better than real teeth? In many ways, they are. They will not get infected or rot, and they’re easy to take care of. Just brush them as you would any other tooth to keep them looking great. Are dental implants bad for your health? No. In fact, they can be good for your health when they allow you to eat healthy foods that can be difficult to eat with missing teeth.
Are dental implants painful to have done? They can be, but most dentists and oral surgeons will numb you or put you to sleep before you get different stages of the implant done. When it is first implanted into the jaw, you will likely be asleep. You can get an implant from someone who provides general dentistry services, or you can go to an oral surgeon to get it done. Many dentists will refer you to a surgeon instead of performing the surgery.
The ancient Mayans pioneered endosseous dental implants, meaning implants set into the bone. A portion of a human mandible was unearthed in 1931 that dated back to around 600 AD. Archaeologists discovered pieces of tooth shaped seashell set into the jaw. Initially believed to have been implanted after death, it was discovered in 1970 that the bone formation around the shells indicated that they had been implanted during life.
Thankfully, dental implant techniques have evolved quite a bit since those days. Most modern implants are root form endosseous dental implants, called root form because they are designed to have a root similar to a natural tooth. A patient faced with the prospect of oral surgery might benefit from watching a dental implant video. Dental implant videos, and dental videos in general, detail with real footage or photography the oral surgery process. Viewing a dental implant video might put the prospective patient at ease, but dental implants videos can be a bit of a double edged sword. If the person in need of an implant is nervous or squeamish, it may be better to simply trust the oral surgeon or read a detailed description of the procedure.
For the brave or the curious, however, several good dental implant videos exist on the web. Before any dental implant video is recorded, however, careful planning is required prior to the beginning of surgery. Various scans may be performed in order to identify nerves or sinuses that are best avoided during oral surgery. A stent may also be used, an acrylic covering fit over the teeth or the jaw. Holes are previously drilled in the acrylic stent to show the surgeon exactly where the implants are to be placed, and at what angle.
Standard dental implant videos usually begin with this prep work done, however, and move straight to drilling. Precision drills are used for the procedure, tools designed with highly regulated speed to prevent undue damage to the bone. The amount of time for a dental implant to be installed, and by extension the length of your average dental implant video, varies greatly. It depends on the experience of the oral surgeon as well as the difficulty and specifics of the individual case.
