Dental Implants

Advancements in dentistry have given us greater options that offer more flexibility to restore a missing tooth. A dental implant can be an excellent solution for an area with a missing tooth without having to touch the neighboring teeth. Dental implants have also been shown to help maintain the bone in the edentulous area.

What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants provide a permanent solution for missing teeth. During this procedure, we will drill a titanium screw in the jawbone where the missing tooth is located, which will act as the root. After healing, we’ll then place a crown on top. Dental implants have a success rate of 98% and can last a lifetime when properly cared for.

Advantages of Dental Implants

Although there are many options for replacing missing teeth, dental implants have increasingly become a more popular choice. Below are some of the benefits you’ll notice after getting implants:

Improved Appearance

Dental implants are designed to look and feel like your natural teeth, resulting in an improved appearance. Porcelain implants are the most durable and resemble your remaining teeth the best.

Easier Eating

Dental implants are fused to your bone to restore your jaw’s structure. As a result, biting and chewing become a lot easier. You also don’t have to worry about removable dentures sliding or causing pain as you try to chew.

Better Oral Health

Missing teeth can impact your oral health in many ways, but getting dental implants can improve it. Your risk of getting tooth and gum disease reduces, and cleaning your teeth becomes easier. There’s also a connection between better self-confidence and practicing proper oral hygiene.

More Comfortable

Those who have dentures understand the discomfort that comes with them after a couple of months. They start to fit differently because your jawbone deteriorates from your missing teeth. Dental implants take away that discomfort since they’re fixed in your jawbone.

Caring for Your Implants

Failing to care for your dental implants will decrease their lifespan and make your treatment less effective. If you want to have a beautiful, healthy smile for a lifetime, you’ll need to treat them as if they were your real teeth. Here are some ways to keep your implants lasting a long time.

Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Don’t slack on your oral hygiene when you have implants! Although they can’t decay like your natural teeth, not properly cleaning them can cause gum disease and impact the implant. You might even begin to start losing other teeth if the infection spreads.

Don’t Chew on Hard Items

Dental implants are strong, but they aren’t indestructible. You should avoid chewing on hard items like pens, ice, and hard candy, as these can break your crowns. If you have bruxism, this is something you should address before getting your dental implants.

Regularly Visit the Dentist

You’ll still want to visit your dentist often after getting dental implants. It allows them to check on your progress and spot any concerns early on. The last thing you want is an infection or a crack impacting your treatment!

Quit Smoking

Smoking or tobacco use will increase the risk of your implants failing. This happens for many reasons – smoking decreases bone graft success rates, slows down the healing process, and damages the salivary glands. For the best outcomes, it’s best to avoid smoking before and at least eight weeks after the treatment.

Is Bone Grafting Required?

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that uses tissue taken from another part of your body to rebuild your jawbone. It’s not necessarily required for all patients getting dental implants. It may be needed for those whose jawbones are too soft or not thick enough to support the implant.

Do You Need Dental Implants in Plantation, FL?

Don’t wait another day to replace your missing teeth. At Aesthetic Dentistry of Plantation, we offer dental implant solutions that will have you proudly showing off your newly restored smile. Please give us a call today if you have any questions or to schedule an appointment.

Screw-Retained Implant (Anterior)

Screw-Retained Implant (Posterior)