Will Dental Implants Match My Natural Teeth?
Understanding Dental Implants in Restorative Dentistry
Dental implants in Miami, FL, are small metal devices tailored to replace roots for missing natural teeth. They feature screw-like materials from biocompatible materials like zirconium and titanium, making them ideal for fusing seamlessly with natural bone tissue.
Dental implants are a dentist’s way of offering a permanent solution to patients that have lost natural teeth. Ideally, one implant replaces one missing natural tooth. When you have multiple missing teeth, the dentist can incorporate other techniques like dental bridges, dentures, and all-on-4 implants.
How Are Dental Implants Placed?
A dentist near you must first examine and assess your oral cavity before proceeding with the implantation process. It is a prerequisite to have healthy gum and bone tissue that can support an implant.
The surgical procedure for installing an implant in the jawbone is invasive, so dentists in Miami employ local anesthesia and sedation dentistry. They numb your mouth and relax your mind and body, allowing for a smooth and comfortable ale experience. The succeeding steps of your treatment then include the following:
- Incision – the oral surgeon opens the gums by making a small cut, allowing access to the bone tissue underneath.
- Drilling – the dentist creates a hole in the jawbone that will accommodate the implant securely.
- Implantation – entails erecting the implant in the jawbone, then supporting it by suturing the gums.
- Crowning the implant – after implantation, the dentist will have you go home to heal for 3-6 months before further dental work. Afterward, you need a dental crown to cover the implant and regain optimal oral function. Dentists use dental bridges or dentures instead of a single crown for multiple tooth restorations.
Will Implants Look Like Natural Teeth?
One of the big concerns that patients have regarding dental implants is that they will stand out from the rest of the natural teeth. However, dental technology at ONE Dental is advanced enough to cater to such concerns. The dentist will pick a crown, bridge, or denture that benefits there shape and color of your natural teeth. The stakes are higher when you have several other natural teeth intact in your mouth. The dentist will employ a shade guide to determine the closest shade that matches your natural teeth.
Can Implant Color Be Changed?
The crowning of a dental implant can be altered to improve the smile and match the brightness of surrounding teeth. Ideally, since porcelain materials cannot be whitened, you can only change the color of crowns, bridges, or dentures attached to dental implants. As such, dentists often recommend whitening your natural teeth beforehand so that you can determine the best implant color afterward.
However, the ability to change the color depends on the design and materials used in the implant. Typically, implants made from materials like titanium or ceramic are not easily altered in terms of color. Instead, implants can be coated or customized to some extent, regarding the prosthetic crowns or dentures that can be tinted or shaded to match the surrounding teeth and achieve the desired appearance.
Tips for Getting the Best Implant Colors
If you can pre-empt your needs and preferences regarding dental implants, you may not need to change their color after treatment. Instead, you can consider the following tips for achieving a fulfilling outcome right from the beginning of your treatment:
- Consult a qualified dentist specializing in implant dentistry – they will have experience and expertise in selecting the right implant colors that blend well with your natural teeth.
- Take into account the color of your existing natural teeth. Your tooth shade should help you choose an implant color that matches or closely resembles it.
- Discuss your preferences and expectations – you can also bring reference pictures or examples of the shade you desire. These references will give your dentist a rough idea of how to handle your treatment.
- Consider surrounding factors like skin tone, eye color, and even hair color. These elements usually influence the overall outcome regarding the appearance of your smile. The colors and shades you choose should complement these factors and enhance your overall facial aesthetics.
- Try custom shading – dentists can create a shade tailored to match your natural teeth, ensuring a seamless blend. Custom shading may involve taking digital photographs, analyzing tooth color, and creating temporary models for color testing.
- Evaluate the colors in different lighting conditions – colors appear differently under various lighting conditions, such as natural and artificial light. It helps to know that the color seems consistent in various settings.