This four-part article series unravels some of the myths surrounding dental implants, bringing patients closer to understanding the truth about this teeth replacement technology.

Dental implants are widely regarded to be the standard of care in New Jersey, and elsewhere around the world, for the replacement of teeth that have either already fallen out or are so badly damaged or decayed that they require extraction. For over 40 years, oral surgeons and implant dentists have been placing dental implants with immense success, the rate of which has only continued to improve. Nowadays, dental implant procedures for the replacement of single and multiple missing teeth have an average 98% success rate, and can last decades if properly taken care of!

In spite of the demonstrated success of dental implants in New Jersey, people still opt for inferior teeth replacement technologies and mostly because they are under one or more of many misconceptions. The myths surrounding dental implant procedures are as numerous as they are extreme. So far, we’ve covered two of them: (1) dental implants are very painful and (2) dental implants are very expensive. In this article, the third installment of a four-part series, we shall look at some of the myths surrounding dental implant surgery and maintenance.

Myth Buster # 3: It takes forever to get new teeth with dental implants.

Nowadays, patients can often have dental implants in NJ and teeth replacement (crowns in the case of single missing teeth and customized prosthetic dental bridges in the case of multiple missing teeth) done on the very same day. Although prosthodontists will first make use of temporary crowns and bridges, which will be replaced with final ones at a later date once the implants have healed successfully (osseointegrated), patients don’t have to wait at all to have their teeth replaced. And you certainly don’t have to worry about walking around with visible gaps in your smile!

The only thing patients need to be aware of is that in the weeks and months following dental implant surgery and placement of the temporary crown or bridge, they will need to avoid foods that are hard, crunchy or very chewy, so as to allow their implants the best possible chance of bonding with the jawbone. Once healing has occurred, the prosthodontist will affix a patient’s permanent replacement tooth/teeth and they will be able to resume a normal diet immediately.

In conclusion, modern dental implant technologies and techniques, such as immediate function implants and the “All-on-4TM” protocol, make is possible for patients to receive a new tooth or a brand new set of teeth with as little as single surgery, in as little as a single day. Beforehand, patients could have to wait as long as 18 months to have a complete set of teeth placed! This is testament to how far the fields of fixed oral rehabilitation and dental implantology have come.

Myth Buster # 4: Dental implants are difficult to look after.

Nothing could be further from the truth! Looking after a dental implant requires no more effort or time than looking after natural teeth. Daily thorough brushing and flossing is all that is typically needed, which is far less effort than removing and cleaning a denture. Just make sure you keep regular scheduled appointments with your dentist and oral hygienist!

Stay Tuned for Part 4

To see some final dental implant myths in New Jersey busted, stay tuned for the last installment of this four-part article series!