Dental Implant Treatment and Its Safety
Dental implants are an alternative to dentures that offer vast benefits and come as close as possible to having real teeth. Implants involve the surgical placement of titanium posts in the jaw, which are then capped with artificial dental caps. The result is permanent, strong artificial teeth that look and function almost exactly like real teeth. They never have to be removed and they are cleaned by brushing. Dental implants are considerably more expensive than dentures, but they offer numerous benefits and eliminate additional expenses like denture pastes, cleaners and dental appointments for adjustments.
Because getting dental implants involves surgery, there are some health risks, as there are with any surgical procedure. There are some patients who are not good candidates for dental implants, including people who have weak immune systems or certain health problems that may make successful implants unlikely. This group includes diabetics, smokers and people with excessive jawbone loss.
Successful implants will eventually fuse to the bone. Like any surgery, there are concerns about healing and infection with dental implants. This is why anyone seeking dental implants should choose a highly skilled surgeon and dentist to perform the procedures.
There is always a possibility that the body will reject the implants, as can happen with any prosthesis.
If you are considering dental implants, our Los Angeles dentist can discuss the procedure with you and answer any questions you may have. If anything in your health history or your current oral health makes it unlikely that dental implants would be successful, you can consider other alternatives such as dentures or bridges.