A common dental health issue that many Houston residents suffer from is missing teeth. Missing teeth refer to adults who have had one or more of their permanent teeth fall out of their mouth.
According to a blog published by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, at least 150 million people are suffering from one and more missing teeth in the U.S.
Unlike milk teeth, permanent teeth do not regrow after they have fallen off. When it comes to treating missing teeth, dental implants are considered the best treatment in Houston. So, let us look at whether a general dentist in Houston performs dental implant treatment.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants refer to artificial teeth and artificial roots that are used in place of your natural fallen teeth. The procedure involves fitting an artificial root onto your jawbone hidden underneath your gums and placing an artificial tooth over it.
In Houston, dental implants are generally preferred over dental dentures and bridges due to their many benefits.
Who are General Dentists?
A general dentist in Houston is a medical professional who is qualified to perform all types of dental treatments, including gum disease treatment, dental dentures, teeth cleaning, dental bonding, and others. The biggest difference between a specialist and general dentist is that general dentists treat patients of all ages.
Who Can Perform a Dental Implant Procedure?
In Houston, there are 3 types of oral healthcare specialists who can perform this treatment:
General Dentists
The common belief among Houston residents is that general dentists cannot perform a dental implant treatment. However, general dentists in Houston are skilled at performing dental implant treatment. A general dentist is equipped with all the necessary tools for the procedure.
If for an instance, a general dentist is incapable of performing dental implant treatment on you, they will recommend a practice that can do it for you.
Periodontist
Periodontists are also considered to be excellent dental professionals for dental implant procedures. This requires a periodontist to specialize in gum treatment and jawbone health treatments.
In many instances, general dentists in Houston are themselves specializing in treatments performed by periodontists. This makes them better suited to performing the dental implant procedure.
Oral Surgeon
Generally, people prefer visiting an oral surgeon in Houston for dental implant procedures. To place a dental implant in your mouth, oral surgery must be performed to make the space necessary for the artificial roots. General dentists in Houston typically work alongside Oral surgeons during dental implant treatment.
A general dentist helps the surgeon know if the patient is suitable for such treatment by performing the necessary oral health checkup.
How General Dentists Perform Dental Implant Treatment
The dental implant procedure involves several steps that a patient must go through in accordance with the general dentist. Generally, general dentists in Houston follow the below-mentioned process to perform dental implant treatment:
Dental Checkup and Consultation
General dentists in Houston start the procedure by communicating with the patient. This involves asking the patient about their expectations and their medical history. After the consultation, general dentists will perform a dental checkup. Dentists need to make sure that the patient has good enough oral health to support a dental implant.
After the first step is complete, the dentists will tell the patient about their treatment plan. They will also recommend other treatments that might help the patient as well such as dental dentures.
Artificial Root Placement
The next step is placing the artificial roots inside your gums. In this step of the procedure, general dentist will start to make the space necessary to place all the artificial roots needed for the treatment.
General dentists may also need to perform bone grafting on your jawbone depending on your condition. After this, the patient will be required to allow their gums to heal which can take up to 2 weeks. They are required to follow a soft diet and only use the dental care practices suggested by the dentist.
Installation of Artificial Teeth
After the patient has completed the healing phase, the general dentist will fit the artificial tooth on the roots. During the healing phase, patients are given partial immediate dentures to protect the exposed gums of the patient. These dentures can either be fitted onto the artificial root or balanced on surviving teeth.
Once the artificial tooth has been placed on your artificial roots, the dental implant procedure is complete.
Can a General Dentist in Houston Perform Dental Implant Treatment?
Yes, in most cases a general dentist in Houston can perform a dental implant treatment on their patients.
So, if you are looking for a general dentist in Houston who can perform dental implant treatment, contact All Stars Dental today.
All Stars Dental is proud to show its Google reviews left by their previous patients, describing their experience with their services.