Losing your teeth can make you look and feel much older than you are, especially if your jawbone atrophies, giving your face a shrunken look. If you have your teeth replaced with dental implants, you can maintain a more youthful appearance. Implants keep your jawbone intact and provide new teeth that look completely natural.
Dental Implant Basics
If you have even one missing tooth, dental implants can help restore your smile. If you’ve lost a large number of teeth, implants are the best option as far as long-term usability, durability, and long-term health of your jawbone. The titanium tooth roots help stimulate your jawbone to continue to grow normally. The prosthetic teeth attached to the roots are made of tooth-colored, natural-looking substances and are virtually indistinguishable from your original teeth.
Implants can also be used to anchor a denture that can be removed. The abutments on the implants hold the denture in place so it doesn’t move or shift like traditional dentures can do. You can remove the denture to clean it and to floss around the abutments to prevent buildup of bacteria that can cause decay in any remaining teeth or lead to gum disease, which can endanger your implants.
Caring for Your Implants
Your cosmetic dentist or implant dentist will provide instructions regarding how to care for your implants. With proper care, your implants should last a lifetime. To ensure this long-term success, you should be sure to:
- Floss around your abutments
- Remove and clean your denture regularly if it is removable
- Brush regularly
- Visit your dentist regularly
Your dentist might suggest that you come in more often for routine exams in order to monitor the health of your gums. The risk of gum disease is slightly elevated in people with implants, and it’s important to keep your gums healthy. Just as gum disease is a common cause of tooth loss, it is also a common cause of implant failure. Diligent care and regular visits to your dentist will keep your implants healthy for many years.
To discuss more about your own implant options, call our office today to speak with a caring member of our team.
