If you’re considering getting dental implants, there are things you should also consider thinking about before undergoing such a procedure. While it ultimately can be a great solution for handling missing teeth, you should be armed with plenty of knowledge before moving forward. Here are some of the things you might want to think about before having work done.
If you smoke, your dentist is going to tell you that you really should stop. Besides the obvious downsides to smoking, it can also lead to slow healing in the mouth, which may lead to additional problems, such as infection or the implants not wanting to stay where they’ve been placed. If you smoke and do decide to go forward with getting dental implants, you should strongly consider not smoking for at least as long as it takes for the implants to heal. A bonus to this is that it could lead to you not smoking at all anymore!
A perhaps obvious consideration is the dentist him or herself. You need to be certain you’re using just the right person, one who absolutely knows what they’re doing and has extensive experience in placing dental implants. As the implants are pieces of titanium that are placed in to the bone of your jaw, it’s imperative that this procedure is done correctly. You don’t want to end up with an implant that falls out or results in an infection, both of which are going to be painful, and in the case of an infection, potentially very dangerous. So you should be absolutely certain that you trust your dentist to get everything right the first time.
Cost needs to be taken in to consideration as well. Getting dental implants can be an expensive procedure, and even if you have insurance, it may not cover it, or may only cover a portion of it. If you are uninsured and have to pay out of pocket, you need to be sure that you can really afford to have the implants done. You will probably want to speak with your dentist about setting up payment plans so you don’t have to pay in full up front.
Think about what sort of pain you can tolerate and how long it may last. While you will be numbed and/or sedated while the implants are being placed, that will eventually wear off and there will be pain to deal with, and in some cases it can become very uncomfortable. You will likely be prescribed pain medication, which you may or may not want to take, but either way, keep in mind that you’ll experience some pain for a while.
Overall, dental implants can improve your life a good deal, especially if you’re missing multiple teeth. You’ll be able to smile and eat normally once again, which can make the process truly worth it.
At Gerwig Family Dental, their expert dentists provide teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental implants, crowns and various dental services in Lubbock, TX. Visit them!
