Did you know that dental implants do more than simply fill the gap in your smile left by a missing tooth? In fact, they can help preserve your facial structure and even prevent further tooth loss. In today’s blog, your Greenville, TX, dentist will look at how we use dental implants to help replace missing teeth and ensure you enjoy a full and beautiful smile for years to come.
The Benefits of Osseointegration
A dental implant is essentially a post that has a screw-like appearance. We create them from titanium, a material that is biocompatible. For that reason, once we insert them into the jaw, they bond with the bone tissue, a process known as osseointegration. The body then resumes the flow of calcium and phosphorus to the jawbone around the missing tooth, preventing the loss of mass and density that typically follows tooth loss. As a result, osseointegration prevents further tooth loss or the onset of an aged appearance.
Placing Your New Roots
We begin by examining your smile to identify the factors behind your missing teeth. If you’re a candidate for implant dentistry, we will carefully plan the placement process and guide them with advanced technology. The area will need time to heal and allow osseointegration, so there may be a wait of three to four months before we proceed with the visible portion of your new teeth.
Restoring Your Tooth
The restoration is the part people see when you smile, and the part that acts as a chewing surface. For an individual dental implant, we may add an abutment to secure a dental crown, custom-made from lifelike materials that we tint to blend with your smile. If you have multiple missing teeth, then we may attach a custom-made bridge or denture, providing a full smile once again. These options never slip, are fixed in place and never need to be removed, and can last for decades to come!
Protecting Your Smile
To keep them in place and prevent further tooth loss, you need to maintain good preventive care at home and in our office. For example, be sure you brush and floss your teeth daily to remove stray food particles and prevent issues like infection or gum disease. You also need to see us every six months for a checkup, so we can examine your smile and monitor it, and also clean it, which removes harmful plaque and tartar buildup. If you have any questions, then please contact our team today!
Your Greenville, TX Dentist Provides Implant Dentistry
At Smith Family Dentistry, we want to provide a new smile that inspires confidence. To learn more about addressing tooth loss with implant dentistry, then contact your Greenville, TX, dentist, Dr. Smith, by calling 903-455-5750.