Need a Dental Implants Dentist? Learn About It First

Most people do not know that there is such thing as a dental implants dentist, but there certainly is. These professionals can offer many benefits for patients who have missing teeth and are not ready for dentures or bridges. If you have missing teeth but don’t want the discomfort of bridges or dentures you may be interested in dental implants. With implants, a dentist is able to restore missing teeth and help patients keep their full smiles. Are dental implants a good option for you?

In order for implantation to be successful patients should be in overall good health with good gums and enough jaw bone to support the implants. Your dentist can evaluate your mouth and let you know if you are a good candidate or if other options would work better for you. Smokers and those with uncontrollable diabetics are not good candidates for implants because they experience slower healing times which is counterproductive to implant success.

You will want to make your appointment for an evaluation with a dentist who is trained in dental implants such as an oral surgeon, or a cosmetic dentist, who will examine your mouth, including your jaw bone to make sure it can support the implants and go over your medical history as well as take x-rays and possible a CT scan if the dentist feels it is needed. A CT scan combines a series of x rays taken at different angels in order to give a cross sectional image of your bones and tissue inside the body.

If all goes well and you are deemed a viable candidate for dental implants, your dentist will go over the stringent need for oral hygiene that you must commit to for the implantations to be successful. You will likely meet with a dental hygienist before your oral surgery to help answer any questions you may have about the care and upkeep of your new implants. For the most part this merely involves brushing your teeth, flossing and greater attention to your oral health. Dental implants rely on the structure and strength of the teeth that surround them for stability, so it is important to maintain the remaining teeth for your overall implant success.

The benefits of dental implants include the ease of maintaining them verses dentures or bridges which require you to remove them for hygiene care and overnights. Also dentures or bridges can greatly restrict your diet while implants look and act just like your natural teeth and are no diet restrictions are imposed by their use. Finally implants are just as normal feeling as real teeth once your jaw heals from surgery, unlike dentures or bridges which require constant refitting to maintain that same comfort level.

With the proper care, these implants can last as long as your natural teeth and most patients who opt for implants are highly satisfied with the results.