GENERAL DENTISTRY
Lateral incisor implants drastically improve the smiles of many patients. After all, lateral incisors are crucial parts of a perfect smile. In addition, eating and chewing becomes a lot easier with a complete set of teeth (lateral incisors are mainly used for cutting food).
Why choose implants over bridges and dentures?
Imperfect bridges and ill-fitting dentures make people feel too conscious about their smiles. Aside from that, eating and chewing become worrisome. Dentures might accidentally fall off and bridge might get misalign. Extra care is also required especially when you’re attempting to bite at harder foods.
In contrast, implants simply replace the natural teeth. They offer the same function and after an adjustment period, eating and chewing will feel natural. In addition, implants (with titanium material) are sturdy and can withstand normal daily eating habits.
What about lateral incisors
These teeth might get knocked off or chipped due to an injury or accident. They might also be lost due to tooth decay or gum disease. Whichever is the case, the tooth should be returned to its place or replaced as soon as possible.
Nothing ruins a smile like a missing tooth/teeth. That’s why many people immediately turn to implants to gain back their beautiful smile. In addition, they also want to make eating and chewing feel natural again.
Is implant right for me?
But first, a dentist will need to examine your jawbone. This is to determine if there’s enough bone for the implants to attach to. If there’s not enough bone, the dentist might perform or recommend additional procedures (e.g. sinus lifts and bone grafts).
The dentist may also look for other potential problems and complications. But if you consider the long-term results, implants are still a better alternative than dentures and bridges. That’s because loss of teeth may also result to loss of bone (it gets resorbed to the body because it no longer serves any purpose). On the other hand, implants will help in keeping the jawbone intact and with integrity.
What to expect from the implant procedure?
The shortest time frame could be about 5 months. However, the process gets a lot longer if there are additional procedures required (especially when there are bone grafts needed). For instance, if a sinus augmentation is needed the whole implant procedure may require an additional 4 to 9 months. This means you might need up to a year before the implant procedure is really completed.
There are other important considerations regarding lateral incisor implants and other procedures. If you want to learn more, you can contact us here at Rickard Dental Centre.
