Losing one or more teeth can not only impact the way you eat, speak, and talk, but it can also have very adverse effects on your self-esteem. Because your oral features are one of the first things people notice, it is hard to hide a loss of cuspids from others.
People lose their teeth for different reasons. Trauma, infection, and disease are the more common causes of tooth loss. While dentures and partial plates are common replacements, consumers have started moving towards a more permanent fix.
Dental implants are artificial teeth that, when inserted and cared for properly, can last a lifetime. An implant is a titanium metal post inserted into the jawbone under the gum line. The bone fuses with the post to produce a permanent fixture that the artificial tooth can attach to.
Candidates considering implants must meet with their dentist first to see if they qualify. There are different procedures available so it is important to go through the information thoroughly with your dental doctor first. Some procedures take as little as one day to complete while other processes can take up to three to four months before the person can use their new biters properly.
Once artificial teeth are implanted into the mouth, it is essential to care for them properly if you want a long lifespan with your artificial pearly whites. Caring for your prosthetic cuspids requires the same procedures for taking care of your real teeth. To care for your real and implanted ivories, you should:
1. Brush Your Teeth Regularly
It is recommended that you brush your teeth at least twice daily for one minute each time. Using a soft brush and dentist approved toothpaste, sweep the inside and outside of each tooth to make sure all debris is properly removed. Brushing your gums and tongue will also help remove the bacteria and dirt from your mouth.
2. Floss
Food and other particles can easily get trapped in between your teeth and under your gums. To avoid irritation and potential infection that could have adverse effects on the post or implanted tooth, it is important to floss your oral area daily to make sure all the unreachable bits are removed.
3. Quit Smoking
Smoking is harmful to all areas of the body, including the interior of the mouth. The chemicals and smoke in cigarettes not only stains the teeth, but it can damage the soft tissue, weaken the bone structure, and cause serious infections and disease.
4. Avoid Hard Foods
Hard foods like candies, nuts, ice cubes, etc., can weaken and break the crown and damage your natural teeth. If you are not sure what you should or should not eat, ask your dental professional for a list.
5. Visit Your Dentist
Regular check ups are vital to maintaining good oral care, and even more so when you have prosthetics put in. Your dental professional can monitor your mouth to make sure the implant is healing properly and not causing any problems with your jaw bone, soft gum tissue or natural teeth. After the procedure, your oral doctor will want to see you more frequently, but as the post merges with the bone and the tissues heal, visits will become less frequent.
Dental implants are a great way to replace your missing teeth with permanent, natural looking pearlies. But getting the artificial teeth inserted into your jaw is the first step of a lifelong process. Once the replacements are in, it is important to take care of them so you have a life long, beautiful and functional set of pearly whites.
