People are living longer than ever. Ultimately one hopes that regular brushing, flossing, and checkups will allow one to maintain their teeth for their lifetime. However, often even with great dental care teeth are lost. Plus, teeth can be lost due to decay, failed root canals, trauma, smoking and periodontal disease. If you have lost teeth the good news is Dr. Nugent is able to restore your dental health and smile with dental implants.
What are Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a copy of a natural tooth. There are three major parts to a dental implant.
- Implant– The dental implant actually refers to the titanium cylinder that is placed into the jawbone. Once placed into the jawbone the surrounding bone grows around and locks the cylinder into place. The implant will act like a natural tooth root.
- Abutment– This is the piece that is screwed into the implant and will serve as the foundation for the dental crown
- Crown – The porcelain crown that looks, feels and functions like a natural tooth.
The ideal candidate for implants is a non-smoker who has good oral health, including a sufficient amount of bone in the jaw, and healthy gums with no sign of gum disease.
Single or Multiple Implants?
Dental Implants are very versatile. If you are one tooth, one fully restored dental implant will do the trick. If you are missing several teeth in a row, several well placed implants can support a permanent dental implant bridge. Lastly, if you have lost all of your teeth dental implants can be utilized to create dental implant dentures or used for the All on Four permanent denture procedure.
Dental Implant Advantages Over Bridges and Dentures:
- Bridges
Conventional bridges require the aggressive cutting down of natural teeth to support the bridge. The bridge merely “bridges” over the missing tooth space by placing a fake tooth in the empty area. Almost half of all conventional bridges fail within twelve to fifteen years. When the bridge fails it creates a huge dental and financial problem for the patient. Conventional Bridges (or as Dr. Nugent likes to call them “Old Fashioned Bridges”) usually fail because of decay on the support teeth or a failed root canal on the support teeth. Another disadvantage of a bridge is that it does nothing to preserve the bone and tissue underneath the bridge. The loss of bone and gum tissue creates ugly voids and becomes a food trap.
Dental implants suffer none of the disadvantages of old fashioned bridges. Dental implants do not damage adjacent teeth, will never get decay, will never need a root canal, preserve bone and tissue levels and are the longest lasting tooth replacement option.
- Dentures
Dentures are not secured to the bone, and are therefore very unstable. The loose denture rubs the gum tissue causing painful ulcer and sore spots. Furthermore, the loose denture actually accelerates the loss of gum tissue and bone levels causing more instability. Old fashioned dentures are a replacement for no teeth. They in no way function like natural teeth. Patients wearing old fashioned dentures are doomed to eat soft processed foods for their entire life. Also, old fashioned dentures cause constant stress and worry as the dentures will fall out causing extreme social embarrassment.
Dental Implant Dentures “snap” onto the implants creating a stable denture. The implants stimulate and preserve the gum and bone levels. Patient are able to eat the foods they want because the implant denture is stable and secure.
Dental Implant Denture
Dental Implant Video:
Post-Treatment Implant Care:
Your dental implant teeth need the same care as natural teeth. You simply brush and floss your dental implant teeth the same way you clean your natural teeth.
For implant dentures, you will remove your dentures at the end of the day and clean them. Then put your dentures into water for overnight safe keeping. You do not sleep in your implant dentures.
Dental implants are an excellent solution for rebuilding your smile since they restore the natural appearance and function of lost teeth. An implant is a man-made tooth root that is anchored to the jawbone and serves as the foundation for a false tooth or permanent bridge. Implants can also be utilized to fix a full set of removable dentures for individuals who have no natural teeth remaining.
A titanium screw is inserted into the upper or lower jawbone during surgery, and it usually takes four months for the surgical implant to heal before permanent installation of the fake tooth can be accomplished. Implants look and feel much like your natural teeth, yet since they are engineered to join with the bone, they are robust, stable, and long-lasting. They can last a lifetime if properly maintained.
Anyone who is healthy enough to have a standard dental extraction or oral surgery can usually be eligible for a dental implant. The ideal candidate will have healthy gums and sufficient bone to support the implant. Implants, like any other restoration, require meticulous oral hygiene and regular maintenance to guarantee they endure a long time.
About:
Dr. Nugent is a family dentist located at 3421 Burke Rd Ste A, Pasadena, Texas. Dr. Nugent is an implant dentist that is capable of placing and restoring your dental implant all at his dental office. Utilizing advanced 3-D Conebeam X-rays and advanced computer software Dr. Nugent can “virtually” place your dental implants prior to your surgery. Thus, there are no surprises during the actually surgery. Discover why Pasadena and Deer Park patients flock to our office for all their dental implant needs. Get the best in dental implant care for you and your family. Get advance dental implant care.