Dental pain is described as some of the worst pain you can experience. This pain can come from an abscess, tooth decay, or a broken tooth. In most cases, you may be able to have the tooth pulled or a filling placed once the decay is removed. There are other dental issues that make this sort of treatment either impossible or impractical. In these cases, your dentist may mention dental implants as an alternative. Here are some of those cases and how dental implants can help.
Dentures
Dentures are one of the types of dental health cases where you may hear implants mentioned. If your need for dentures comes from tooth decay, you may also have some bone loss in your jaw and gum area. This makes it difficult for dentures to form and attach to your natural gum line. If this is the case, your dentist may mention dental implants. The implants are used as anchoring points for the dentures. This may mean you need two to four implants depending on where the anchoring points are most needed.
Missing Teeth
Tooth decay and accidents can cause missing teeth. This can have an effect not only on your smile and chewing but also on your self-esteem. Many people find they do not want to replace the teeth with dentures or a partial. If this is the case for you, you can discuss dental implants with your dentist. The implants can be placed to help fill in where your natural teeth were. They can also be designed to fit the natural look of your teeth from shape to shade.
Crowns and Bridges
Crowns and bridges may be dental elements you already have in place. If your teeth around those crowns and bridges start to shift or decay, you may find you need more stability. Your dentist may mention dental implants for decaying teeth, but they may also mention dental implants to help stabilize the bridges and crowns. These implants will depend greatly on how bad the decay is, the strength of your gums, and if other dental options are possible.
These are only a few of the cases where your dentist may mention dental implants as part of a treatment plan. If you are concerned about the amount of time it will take to heal, dental pain, or other treatment-related concerns discuss them with your dentist. You may also want to confirm whether your dental insurance will cover the procedure and how much of the procedure it will cover.
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