implants faqs

How to Make Dental Implants Last Longer

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Categories: Dental implants

Even with major advancements in dental care, tooth loss is a pervasive issue that impacts millions of Americans. Tooth loss can occur for a variety of reasons, including trauma, gum disease, and tooth decay. One of the most effective tooth replacement options is dental implants. Below you will find helpful tips for how to make dental implants last longer.

How to Make Dental Implants Last Longer

Dental implants are intended to be a permanent tooth replacement option that can improve your oral health and make you feel more confident about your smile. However, it’s important to take good care of your oral health to ensure that your implants last a lifetime.

Oral Hygiene Routine:

Whether you have dental implants or not, your oral hygiene routine is integral to your oral and overall health. This is because harmful plaque can build up and result in gum disease. Gum disease can impact both your gums and jawbone. This can have a negative impact on someone with a dental implant as untreated gum disease can result in jaw bone deterioration. This can result in dental implant failure so it’s important to maintain a consistent daily oral care routine and regularly visit the dentist. This includes brushing at least twice a day, flossing at least once a day, limiting sugary foods, and visiting the dentist every six months.

Smoking:

Research has shown that people who smoke have a lower success rate with dental implants. Smoking interferes with the blood flow to the impacted area. This can negatively impact the healing process necessary for the dental implant to stay implanted and in place. In addition, smoking also increases your risk for gum disease, which can also result in issues with your dental implants due to the risk of jaw bone deterioration.

Teeth Grinding

Grinding your teeth, either at night or when you are anxious during the day, can result in damage to your dental implant. Teeth grinding can fracture your dental implant, the porcelain crown, or loosen or fracture the screw holding everything together. Just like smoking, this can impact the healing process for those who opt for dental implants. If you grind your teeth it’s important to let your dentist near Pasadena know so they can help you plan accordingly.

Issues with Your Jawbone:

Dental implants are anchored into your jaw bone. If there’s not enough jaw bone available to secure the implant in place, the dental implant can fail. For those who want dental implants and don’t have enough jaw bone, there are options. Bone grafting or sinus lifting can be done to ensure that your dental implant stays in place.

Inexperienced Dental Provider:

If you are considering dental implants, finding a skilled dentist who is experienced in dental implants is necessary. A surgeon without the necessary experience can result in a variety of issues, including improper placement of the implants, tissue trauma during implant placement, or a poorly designed implant (to name just a few). Do your research in advance to ensure you have the best experience.

Signs of Implant Failure

Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement option. However, if not taken care of properly issues can occur. Implant failure needs to be addressed immediately. Signs of implant failure include redness, swelling, bleeding, receding gums, pus, pain, and implant movement. The failure rate of dental implants is very low (less than 5%) so it’s important to find a skilled dentist for the procedure.

Dental Implants Near Pasadena

The team at Premier Dental Esthetics are skilled in dental implants and have helped countless patients restore their oral health. Contact their office today if you are considering dental implants near Pasadena!

Do Dental Implants Look Natural?

Posted on
Categories: Dental implants

Dental implants are the most effective form of tooth replacement, and they look 100% natural. In fact, they are the only tooth replacement option that completely replaces your natural tooth from root to cusp. As a result, dental implants provide superior comfort and long-lasting functionality.

Do Dental Implants Look Natural?

The only downsides are that they can take several dental visits to place, and they cost more upfront than other tooth replacement options. With that being said, the implant itself will last for the rest of your natural life. And the crown will only need to be replaced every 10-15 years as long as you practice normal oral hygiene. Now we’ve covered the basics. So let’s have a look at how dental implants are made to perfectly replicate your tooth in every possible way.

The Process of Placing a Dental Implant

A dental implant typically requires at least three office visits. During your first visit to your dentist in Arcadia, they will evaluate your current oral health to make sure you’re a viable candidate for a dental implant. Typically, that means a visual inspection of your gums as well as x-rays. With these, your dentist can have a look at your jawbone.

  • Keep in mind that significant bone loss or untreated gum disease may preclude you from receiving a dental implant right away. Infected gums and deteriorating bone simply can’t support a dental implant. However, if you’re determined, there are usually treatment options available that will make a dental implant possible for you.
  • Given that all goes well during your first visit, your second visit will consist of placing the metal post of the implant. This segment is drilled directly into your jawbone using an anesthetic. You shouldn’t feel anything during the procedure. Once the post is placed, you will be sent home with care instructions to ensure that your jaw heals properly. The healing process typically takes 8-10 weeks, but it may be longer if you’re older, smoke, or have any condition that reduces blood flow or generally slows your ability to heal.
  • Depending on where you get your dental implants near Pasadena, taking impressions may be a separate visit. Once you’ve had impressions taken, the molds are sent off so that a customized crown can be made just for you. Once the crown is ready, and you’re fully healed, an abutment is used to connect the post to the crown.

The Importance of Replacing the Root

A dental implant is the only tooth replacement option that replicates your natural tooth down to the root. This may not seem like a big deal. But it actually has a massive impact on your oral health down the road. You see, your jawbone actually relies on the chewing motion to tell your body to replace old bone tissue with new bone tissue.

Without a root, these signals don’t reach your jaw bone. Over time, your jaw will lose considerable mass because it is no longer replacing old bone tissue. This can cause your facial structure to change noticeably and has the ability to undermine surrounding structures.

Making A Realistic Looking Crown

The crown is the part of your dental implant that is visible above the gumline. In most cases, the crown is made of porcelain molded from an impression of your jaw. They are colored to match your natural teeth. And they’re highly durable. As a result, a quality dental crown is virtually indistinguishable from a real tooth. On average, you can expect your crown to last at least ten years. But they can last several decades with appropriate care.