If you’re wishing to rebuild missing teeth, then dental implants are one of the best options out there. Not only do they give you the majority of your bite back, but the metal posts are also meant to fuse to your jawbone to serve as new tooth roots. But how will they feel compared to your natural pearly whites? Read on to learn how this treatment process works and what to expect after every important step of your tooth-replacement journey.
What to Expect from the Dental Implant Treatment
For the most part, dental implants are predominantly constructed out of titanium, appearing as small screws designed to be embedded into the jawbone during the placement surgery. After your procedure, you’ll spend several months recovering from your treatment and allowing the metal posts to bond effectively with the jawbone, a process otherwise known as “osseointegration.” Once this is properly completed, your dentist will place abutments on top of the implants so that your restoration can be fitted, which should be made to fit the exact shape, size, and color needed to match the rest of your smile.
How Dental Implants Feel Like After Placement
During your appointment, your mouth will be completely numbed with local anesthesia so that you’re completely pain-free. After the effects wear off, it’s normal to experience some soreness, sensitivity, and swelling for a few days. Fortunately, since the jawbone doesn’t have many nerve endings, you shouldn’t be able to necessarily feel your implants. Discomfort during your healing period will be primarily due to the tissues surrounding the posts. The good news is that you can manage this with over-the-counter pain relievers, a cold compress, and by eating a soft-food diet.
What Do Implants Feel Like After Osseointegration?
Once your recovery is over and your dental implants have fused entirely with your jawbone, they should feel exactly like your normal teeth. The bone tissue will stabilize your restorations, and you might even forget that you have them! Of course, you will need to remember to avoid biting into things that can potentially damage your crown, bridge, or denture. That said, dental implants help you regain around 90% of your natural biting power, so you can usually enjoy most of your favorite foods without having to worry much.
Although they are dental restorations, your metal posts will feel very similar to natural pearly whites. Just be sure to practice great oral hygiene habits daily and visit your dentist twice a year, and you should be able to make the most of them for decades to a lifetime!
About the Practice
At Sound Dentistry, our team has a board-certified prosthodontist and board-certified periodontist on staff who can perform the entire dental implant process in-office for our patients’ convenience. We also utilize modern technology and techniques to ensure that your results are precise, comfortable, and long-lasting. If you wish to rebuild missing teeth with dental implants, feel free to schedule your appointment by clicking here or giving us a call today at 508-230-3737.