Orthodontic & Dental Care Everything you need to know about orthodontic and dental care.

Dental implants are the answer to your problems caused by your missing tooth or teeth. While they are mainly cosmetic procedures, the results they bring are more than just superficial. They will improve your smile and increase your confidence. They help many people who have spaces in between teeth due to loss of teeth from injury, extraction, and others and have become uncomfortable in smiling, talking, and eating. Aside from this, implants can also help prevent jaw bone loss, tooth decay, misaligned bite, and negative effects on eating habits, among others.

In this treatment, tooth roots are replaced to provide a stable and durable anchor for the new teeth that will be set. Having these replacement roots help maintain and stimulate the jaw bone. This helps in keeping your jaw bone and your total facial structure, too.

Your dentist would first need to examine your teeth, gums, bone density, and other factors that are necessary in this procedure. The dentist would know if your teeth need implants after he’s done x-rays and computer tomography (CT scans) of your mouth. You will also be advised about oral hygiene and the required commitment of practicing ideal post-procedure care. For those who are found to have insufficient bone or gum tissue, they may be recommended to have bone or soft tissue grafts or small-diameter implants, instead.

The whole procedure may vary in the number of sessions needed to complete the implant. The length of each session also depends on the dentist’s findings. This means that the cost varies, too. You’d also need to discuss with your dentist about anesthesia. The affected and surrounding areas in your teeth should be numbed prior to the treatment itself. You and your dentist will decide if you’ll have local anesthesia or sedation.

Placing the implant to anchor to the jaw bone doesn’t really take a lot of time. However, it is the waiting period after it is set that takes up to approximately 3 to 6 months. The dentist would have to wait until the implant is completely healed before proceeding. A temporary crown will placed so your gum can grow around it. As soon as the implant is healed, it will then be ready to have a permanent crown set on top.

Once you’ve got your root replacement and permanent crown placed together with the rest of your teeth, you’ll find that you’ll get back your health habits of smiling, talking, and eating.

Dentures are an investment in your health and appearance. Properly fitted dentures can help you to eat a more balanced diet and have greater self-confidence and a better quality of life. They can be costly for many people. For this reason proper denture care and maintenance is essential. With attention to maintenance and fit, you can avoid unnecessary denture repair and replacement costs.

Wearing Your Dentures

Quality dentures should be comfortable and fit your mouth well even without denture adhesive. If they hurt or you need to use a lot of adhesive to keep them in place, you need to have your dentist address the issue. Even the best denture adhesives cannot compensate for a poor fit. This is not to say that denture adhesives do not have their place. Denture adhesives can help to make wearers feel more confident and secure, and they can help to prevent friction sores especially among new denture wearers.

Cleaning Your Dentures

Keeping your dentures clean will keep your breath fresh and your smile bright and, more importantly, it will keep your mouth healthy. Bacteria and food particles that cling to a dirty set can damage your gums and any remaining teeth that you have. When cleaning them, make sure to avoid household cleaners or toothpaste. These substances are often too abrasive for such chores, so they can scratch your dentures. Instead, use pastes and cleaners specifically designed for dentures, and follow the instructions on the labels. Keep in mind that soaking alone is not sufficient to clean them. Make sure to brush with a soft-bristled brush and denture paste in addition to soaking the dentures in a cleansing solution. Proper denture care with a commercial cleaner will leave them clean, so you will have a healthy mouth and fresh breath.

Storing Your Dentures

When you take your dentures out at night or at other times, you need to keep them moist. If dentures dry out, they lose their shape. This leads to poor fit. To avoid this problem, soak your set in water or denture cleanser when you are not wearing them. Make sure to consult your dentist about a proper soaking solution if your dentures have metal parts, as these can tarnish when soaked in most solutions.

The Bottom Line

Proper denture care will ensure that your investment in your good health and appearance is safeguarded. It will help you to avoid painful infections and sores, avoidable dentist visits and the costs of unnecessary denture replacement and repair. A little effort now could save you a lot of time, money and inconvenience in the future.