The Health of Your Gums and Teeth Impact Your Dental Implants

Many patients ask us about dental implants. They are an excellent way to replace a missing tooth and are incredibly durable. Most people enjoy them because they can live life normally without thinking about their teeth. This is an advantage that dentures can never offer. The ability to brush and go makes it easier to enjoy life without restrictions. The process of installing them is more complicated than other types of cosmetic dentistry procedures so it is important to see a specialist that can produce the results you are looking for. There is a surgical component where a metal post is implanted under the gum line and secured to the jawbone. This is the most important step in the entire process and what makes this technology superior to other forms of tooth replacement. This metal post will become the new root system for the tooth to attach to. First, the bone and metal must fuse together in order to create a stable and durable base. The first stage of the procedure will be completed over a couple of months which allows for the bone to fuse to metal and the gums to heal. In the meantime, many people will wear a temporary denture. Once ready, the new synthetic tooth will be secured to the metal post and positioned into place. The tooth is created in a lab to match the surrounding ones, so it will look completely natural, another benefit of dental implants. Once in place, implants are beautiful and durable. Patients can eat all of their favorite foods and participate in sporting activities without concern of it falling out or becoming loose, something not offered with dentures. The challenge is keeping teeth healthy. The implant itself is not prone to infection because it is made of metal and ceramic. The surrounding teeth, however, are. If you lost a tooth due to infection in the past, this is especially important. Preventing an oral infection from developing and spreading will keep your implants in good condition. Otherwise, they could be at risk. The problem with infections is fairly straight forward. Oral infections like cavities can be caught and treated early with regular trips to the dentist. People that don’t visit the dentist on a regular basis can have an infection that is left undiagnosed and untreated. By the time they notice, it may have spread into the rest of the tooth and roots. This presents a danger to the rest of the mouth because when the roots become infected, the floor of the mouth and jawbone can also become infected. In the worst case scenario it can become a dental abscess which requires surgery to treat. This is the worst case scenario for dental implants because a weakened jawbone directly impacts the anchor that an implant is secured to. In order for implants to succeed long-term, the bone must stay strong and healthy. Fortunately, this is easy to accomplish with an at-home oral hygiene routine and regular dental exams.

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