If you’ve long lived with missing teeth and never done anything about it because you dreaded the idea of dentures, it’s time to get to know dental implants. This wonderful dental restoration completes your smile so your mouth looks, feels, and works better than ever.
Here are just eight things you need to know about dental implants:
- Permanent: Once an implant is placed in your jaw, the healing process gives it time to fuse with the bone for good. A properly healed implant works so well that it doesn’t feel like anything – it’s simply part of your smile.
- Titanium: The artificial tooth root of the implant is made of titanium, an incredibly strong, long-lasting solution for tooth replacement. Only you will ever know this, however. The implant is below the gumline and not visible.
- Prosthetics: The fake tooth that is eventually attached to the implant is either a crown, dental bridge or denture.
- Quantity: You can use a dental implant to replace just one tooth, but you don’t need a dental implant for every tooth being replaced, especially if you’re replacing an entire arch of top or bottom teeth. In many cases, just four implants are needed to fully complete your smile. Teeth in One Day or the All-On-4 procedure involves the attachment of a dental bridge or denture to the implants.
- Natural: Not only do finished dental implants look natural, they feel natural too. They act like natural teeth, so you can bite and chew with confidence. Teeth don’t require any special treatment either for cleaning. Simply brush and floss as normal to keep the implants clean and healthy, and see your Fort Lauderdale dentist regularly for check-ups and cleanings.
- Candidates: Modern innovations to the dental implant process have made it possible for nearly all patients to take advantage of dental implants, even if they have poor bone quality or health issues like diabetes.
- Preservation: Implants not only replace missing teeth, they do hard work under the gumline too, stimulating the jawbone and doing the work that a natural tooth root would be doing. This prevents the sunken look that can occur for people who have many missing teeth.
- Confidence: It’s difficult to fully quantify the benefits of dental implants, but one of the biggest benefits of this treatment is the confidence that comes from having a complete smile again. Patients who get implants can speak, eat, and smile without worrying about the condition of their teeth or what might happen in the middle of a meal or conversation.
If you’re ready to talk about completing your smile and learn more about dental implants, contact Dr. Charmaine Johnson at Premier Smile Center, your dentist near Fort Lauderdale to learn more and schedule a visit. Your complimentary consultation or teledentistry visit will include an oral examination, a discussion of your goals and concerns, and a review of all viable treatment options.
