We all know the importance of maintaining excellent oral health through daily brushing and flossing, but even with the most diligent of oral healthcare routines, individuals still fall victim to oral diseases and even tooth loss.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 26% of American adults have untreated tooth decay. Even worse, 46% of adults over the age of 30 have some form of gum disease. Nine percent of American adults have severe gum disease. In its severe form as periodontitis, gum disease can destroy gum tissue, cause loose teeth and even result in teeth falling out. Compound those statistics with a study by University of Michigan’s Health Lab indicating that 40% of Americans don’t get regular dental care, and you have a recipe for rampant tooth loss.
Do you have a gap-toothed smile that you hide behind the back of your hand? Or maybe you’re living with a temporary and ineffective solution for your tooth loss such as dentures? You may benefit from the same roster of solutions that hundreds of thousands of Americans now rely on for a permanent solution to tooth loss — however those losses were caused — getting dental implants near you.
What the heck are dental implants? Read on to find out what these dental restorations entail and how they can benefit your oral and overall health, boosting your confidence and increasing your quality of life.
The basics about dental implants
Dental implants are considered by many to be the best option for tooth replacement because they are the only tooth replacement option that mimic both the function and appearance of natural teeth. This means that they enhance the appearance of your smile, but also work to strengthen and maintain your jawbone and facial structure.
Dental implants consist of three elements: a titanium post that is screwed into the jaw bone, an abutment that connects a restoration to that titanium post, and a replacement tooth (referred to as a restoration). Implants can support other dental prosthetics such as crowns, bridges, and dentures as well.
The titanium post that replaces the missing root of your former tooth is actually a screw with grooves all around the circumference of the post and climbing its length in a spiral. Your dentist in Indian Land will use those grooves to embed the post into your jaw, but those grooves aren’t the only thing that will hold the post in position. The titanium material from which the post is made is biocompatible. What that means is that your body will accept that titanium post as natural tissue and, better still, a bond will form between the bone tissue in your jaw and that titanium. The process through which that bond is formed is called osseointegration. That process of osseointegration occurs over a three to six month period following the placement of your post and, once complete, is what makes implants such a stable, strong and natural replacement for missing teeth.
The restoration is custom-made by your dentist, meaning that it can be specifically sized, shaped, and colored to match your natural surrounding teeth. This means that once your implant procedure is complete, your new replacement tooth will blend in seamlessly with your smile, providing you with a stunning, natural-looking smile.
The process of getting implants
When you visit Flourish Family & General Dentistry for dental implants, the process will begin with a dentist near you who will digitally scan your mouth to develop a customized treatment plan that does not rely on assumptions or generic information, but that is based entirely on the landscape of your jaw. The computerized process will help to determine precisely where your implant should be placed to provide the necessary support for the restoration being added. Once that scanning is done and that determination is made, a laser-guided system directs the placement of your implant.
The benefits of titanium dental implants
Dental implants restore your ability to speak naturally. If you rely on your ability to present credibly and confidently in personal situations or at work, implants can help you move past the speech impairment that tooth loss has caused — or may cause as it persists. With dental implants in Indian Land you’ll be able to live without fear that people will notice your missing teeth, or that your dentures will fall out. You’ll be able to laugh as enthusiastically as you like, and eat all your favourite foods without anxiety. In short, dental implants can completely and entirely change your life.
Tooth loss often forces people to change their diet, sometimes by limiting them to easy-to-chew carbs or forcing them to wolf down food without having chewed it properly. Either situation can cause nutrition, weight, and health problems. With implants, you’ll be able to eat properly and healthily again. This means you no longer have to avoid those sweet and sticky toffees you have been craving, or skip out on that juicy, tough steak at the family barbeque.
Titanium — an element alloyed with iron, aluminum, vanadium, and molybdenum — is perfectly suited to constructing dental implants because of its strength, corrosion-resistance, and especially its biocompatibility. The use of titanium also makes for an extremely sturdy dental implant, meaning that your restoration will be just as strong, if not stronger than your natural teeth- talk about an added bonus! Modern dental implants are a lifetime decision, and a lifetime solution for tooth loss that, when properly cared for, will never fall out or let you down.
The bottom line
Tooth loss is life changing. It can cause you to feel self-conscious about the appearance of your smile and make simple tasks such as eating, drinking, and socializing a chore. Furthermore, having missing teeth can severely impact your oral and overall health, leading to bite misalignment, jawbone deterioration, and malnutrition.
Dental implants near you can change your life again — for the better. When you’re ready to take the first step towards a permanent solution to your tooth loss, reach out to Dr. Landi Rosenau for a comprehensive evaluation and begin your smile transformation journey.
