If you’re looking to replace lost teeth, you may find yourself wondering if dental implants could be the right fit for you. At Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry, we are proud to offer a range of dental services from our Champions Gate, FL, office. Today we’re going to run through some questions you may have about implant dentistry.
Most people who have lost one or more teeth can be good candidates for dental implants. They’re an especially good option for patients who want to avoid bridges and dentures, although implants can be used to secure dentures as well.
During a consultation, we’ll go over your dental goals and condition. This will help us make sure this treatment is the best possible fit for you. In general, good candidates are old enough that their jawbone has finished growing. Patients should have enough jawbone material to support the implants. We will also want to make sure your gums are healthy before we carry out the treatment.
Did you know that the roots of your teeth do more than just hold your teeth in place? Roots are also crucial when it comes to protecting the jawbone from deterioration. Losing teeth can start an undesirable domino effect.
Shortly after tooth loss, the neighboring teeth can begin to migrate towards the new gap. This can weaken your remaining teeth and put strain on their roots. Secondly, tooth loss can begin to affect the structure of your jaw. Without the roots stimulating it, the bone of your jaw can begin to deteriorate.
The good news is dental implants can replace the role of the missing tooth’s roots. The implants are placed into the jaw, which helps prevent the loss of jawbone structure. They also “fill in the gap,” so your remaining teeth are encouraged to stay in place. Once the implant is secure, we can then cap it with an artificial tooth to complete your smile.
This treatment is considered extremely effective. Our experienced team is dedicated to providing excellence to each one of our patients. Right from the start, and all throughout the treatment process, we will be here to answer your questions and guide you through the process.
The first step in the treatment will be to place a small, biocompatible titanium rod into your jawbone. Titanium tends to be readily accepted by the body and has the unique ability to fuse with bone material.
Fusing with the bone allows these rods to protect and strengthen your jawbone. It also provides an extremely secure base for an artificial tooth. Once the fusion is complete, we’ll put a small attachment known as a connector or abutment to the top of the rod. This will be used to hold onto your replacement teeth. Just like that, the implant is complete.
These implants are designed to last for a lifetime, but there are some things you can do to keep them in good shape. Good oral hygiene can go a long way toward protecting the lifespan of your implant.
The crown or artificial tooth may need to be replaced after 10 to 15 years. Replacing the artificial tooth doesn’t mean you have to replace your implant, though. You can just have a new tooth placed onto the existing implant.
When someone thinks about wrinkles, they probably aren’t thinking much about teeth. The connection between teeth and skin laxity is tied to the jaw. If someone loses one or more teeth and doesn’t have an implant put in, excess skin can show up as their jaw recedes. This excess skin can make the face look more sunken around the chin, cheeks, and lips.
That means when you protect the health of your jawbone with dental implants, you can also help prevent unwanted skin laxity.
We’ve mentioned that implants can help keep your remaining teeth in place, but implants can help support healthy teeth in other ways too. For instance, it can serve as an alternative to treatments that require tooth modification. Before implant dentistry enjoyed a boost in popularity, other treatments like fixed bridges were considered the norm.
A fixed bridge can be a useful option, but it does require that the healthy “supporting” teeth get filed down so they can be capped for the bridge. Modifying these healthy teeth is an irreversible choice. Patients who aren’t comfortable with that idea can opt for an implant instead, which doesn’t require any tooth modification.
When patients don’t want a bridge, a removable prosthesis is another alternative. This doesn’t protect the jaw from deterioration, but it does allow the patient to have a complete smile again. That said, some patients may worry about their prosthesis falling out, or ending up with an uncomfortable fit.
Implants are extremely secure and function just like the roots of our teeth, so patients won’t have to worry about security or comfort anymore.
Speaking of comfort, dentures are another popular tooth replacement option. Dentures can be especially useful when the patient is missing most or all of their teeth. This option can be a good fit for many, but some patients find themselves struggling to adjust to dentures. Patients who dislike the texture of denture adhesives or have sensitive gums may find that dentures just aren’t compatible with them.
For patients who don’t mind dentures, implants can still be used to improve the denture experience. With implants, you can support your dentures very securely without adhesives. The implants can also help your dentures last longer. A patient will usually have to be re-fitted for dentures as their jawbone changes. However, with implants protecting the jaw, your dentures can be a comfortable fit for longer.
It’s common for patients to go through a period of adjustment after getting dentures. During this time, they may find that forming clear words is a little more challenging than it was before.
Unfortunately, some patients have a harder time adjusting. They may feel as though the clarity of their words has changed for the worse, and that they sound different than they did before. If you’re struggling to speak about your dentures, switching to implants may be helpful.
Are you tired of dietary limitations? Implants can help keep your artificial teeth secure, supported, and strong. This allows patients to enjoy eating their favorite foods again. You can enjoy a steak or bite right into an apple.
Four or more implants can be used to support dentures, so you can have confidence that your dentures are extremely secure. The dentures will be attached to your implants instead of using adhesives. This removes a lot of the daily hassle surrounding dentures. At night, you can still easily remove the dentures to care for them.
Implant-supported dentures can offer some health benefits as well. For one thing, they tend to be easier to clean. Being able to clean your dentures more thoroughly can help protect your oral health. Patients can also experience digestive benefits, as implant-supported dentures allow for a wider dietary range and more thorough chewing. This can make meal-time more enjoyable and healthy all at once.
Our office wants to make this process as streamlined and comfortable as possible. We are able to both place and restore dental implants. We can also create your customized crown and cap for you, so the entire process can be handled by our experienced team.
We know how important your time is, and having all of your needs met in one location can help save you time and make everything as convenient as possible.
Our team believes in using high-quality equipment and digital imaging technology. 3D digital cameras will capture comprehensive images of your jaw and mouth, which can be used in the placement of your implants. The information will show us the best place to put your implants, and even the right angle to place them. These tools help us customize your treatment with excellent precision.
Trying to pick the right treatment on your own can be frustrating and exhausting. Our team would be happy to walk you through the different options, and offer our advice about which treatments we believe would be the best fit for your unique needs. If you’re ready to learn more, reach out to us at Implant and Comprehensive Dentistry at Champions Gate, FL, today for your consultation!
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