Dental implants are attachments, like artificial roots, created to replace teeth that are missing or lost for whatever reason, and can be integrated to fit perfectly into a healthy, natural mouth.
After their implantation in the maxilla or jaw, their purpose is, once they are osseointegrated or have bonded with the bone, to give support to the new artificial teeth that will be attached to them.
By means of a dental implant, the loss of one or several natural teeth can be rehabilitated without using or grinding down healthy adjacent teeth, which is inevitable, however, if a bridge is inserted.
Onto the implant a crown can be adapted and cemented or screwed to the depending on the case, and which imitates the natural tooth both esthetically and functionally.
The surgical procedures of implant treatment are carried out under very well established protocols and are usually performed with minimal or no discomfort. They are performed under local anesthesia, just like many other dental treatments and only the sound of the instruments and sensations of pressure or "humming" in the area may be felt. In the postoperative period there may be slight discomfort when the anesthesia wears off, which will disappear after a few days.
After the placement of the implant, you should wait a few months, depending on each case, before finally putting the crown in place, which is the purpose of the treatment itself. During this waiting period, when the implant bonds with the bone, it is of vital importance the patient takes great care at home with oral hygiene, and has regular check-ups to the specialist, to control the evolution of the implants.