Dentistry isn’t magic, but with modern technology and advancements in medicine, cosmetic dentistry options like dental implants can sure feel like it. Dental implants look natural, can restore the bottom third of your face to make you look younger and they don’t require any special care.
But what happens if you chip or damage a dental implant? Should you be worried, and can it be easily fixed?
What Are Dental Implants, Exactly?
While dental implants as they exist today are new, dental implants in general are not. In fact, as early as 2500 B.C., Egyptians were using gold wire to secure and stabilize teeth, similar to a dental bridge. It’s thought that the first dental implants were created by the Mayans, who used pieces of shell to restore their smiles in around 600 B.C. – an ingenious solution to a problem we still face thousands of years later.
Fortunately, what we use here at My Hills Dentist is a far cry from pieces of shell. A dental implant is, basically, made of two parts: the implant itself, which looks and functions like a screw and is made of titanium, and the crown, which is made of an advanced ceramic.
You can trust the modern dental implant design to work well in your mouth. The titanium base integrates naturally into your jaw and anchors itself in place as your jaw heals from the implant procedure. Osseointegration, or the process of an implant and bone to connect, allows your dental implant to be strong and stable. It’s the same process that helps amputees adjust to implanted prosthetics. Then, the ceramic crown looks and functions just like a natural tooth would, and it is stronger than a natural tooth.
It’s somewhat easy to damage natural teeth; it’s not uncommon to chip or break a natural tooth simply by biting down too hard or eating something hard like candy. Dental implants are a bit harder to damage, and it’s more common to see dental implant trauma as the result of a bad fall, sports injury or prolonged bruxism. But, what if you do manage to chip your dental implant?
What to Do If Your Dental Implant Is Damaged
First step: Don’t panic. No matter how badly damaged your dental implant is, we can fix it. Step two: schedule an appointment with us. We’ll help you determine the best way to repair your dental implant and get you smiling normally again.
Of course, the level of damage will determine how we restore your implant. Damaging the base of the implant is rare. In most cases, we can repair the crown with bonding material without removing it from the base. If your implant is cracked and it needs to be replaced, we can do that, too. In extremely rare cases, dental implants fail. Those cases may require surgery and bone grafting in order to stabilize and strengthen your jaw for a new implant. However, thanks to modern technology and the natural process of osseointegration, dental implant failure is extremely uncommon.
Restore Your Implant, Smile Again
If your dental implant has cracked or chipped, or you’re experiencing other issues with it, we can restore your smile, repair or replace your dental implant, and get you smiling again.
To schedule an appointment regarding your dental implant, if you have questions about dental implants, or are interested in learning how a dental implant can improve your quality of life and oral health, our cosmetic dentist can help. To schedule an appointment with My Hills Dentist in Baulkham Hills today, please call (02) 9686 7375 or email us today.
