When it comes to finding a trusted orthodontist and getting a more beautiful smile, it’s a personal process and one that can take some time and deliberation. If you’re missing teeth for one reason or another, one of the most common ways to take care of it is by getting dental implants. What are they, though, and should you consider them?
There are a few types of them out there, so educating yourself on the possibilities is critical in finding the care that’s right for you. So, today I’ll be explaining how they work and some of the steps that go into getting them. If you’re not sure if they are safe or a plausible choice for you, keep reading!
- How Long do They Last?
One of the most common questions when it comes to getting this sort of procedure done is how long they last. It’s something important to ask about – after all, it is a surgical process that is fairly involved. We want to be sure that it’s worth the trouble!
Thankfully, they can last a long time. If you take proper care of them, it could even be a lifetime! They are distinct from crowns, which typically only last ten to fifteen years. Just remember that proper maintenance is the best way to ensure that they will stay functional.
How do You Care for Them?
So – in the vein of maintaining them, I’ll explain how to take care of them. First, you want to select the right kind of toothbrush. While we think that they’re all the same, they in fact are not. For implants, you may want to get a brush with soft bristles. This could be nylon.
If you’re wondering why, it’s because those bristles are pliable. They won’t damage the material that your new teeth are made of. Because there is a risk of scratching the surface of them, you want to be very careful about what products you use.
Nothing should be abrasive or sharp, for example. Any metal items should be avoided. Instead, you should floss every day. While they are beneficial to your mouth, it’s good to keep in mind that plaque often builds up around them even more than natural teeth. So, flossing is more critical than ever.
You should also do your best to avoid certain types of food. Generally, anything that is particularly sticky, chewy, or hard is not great for implant health. While it’s difficult to refuse to eat something like certain hard candies or potato chips, limiting ingestion of them can be beneficial.
Finally, ensure that you don’t drink any alcohol or use tobacco, be it ingesting it or smoking it. Both can negatively impact the quality of your implants. While you care for them, do make sure to visit a dentist often.
Do They Hurt to Install?
One of our greatest trepidations about seeing a dentist is the prospect of it being a painful experience. Because toothaches tend to hurt, as well as something like getting your wisdom teeth removed, this process is generally not painful. If you get them from somewhere like this site, https://www.nuviasmiles.com/blog/how-long-dental-implants-last, you can find more information about this question.
Your nerves will be numbed by anesthesia of some kind when you get implants. This is to prevent any localized pain sensations. So – the actual surgery itself is not likely to hurt. In fact, if it does, you should probably alert your dentists as soon as possible. It is not intended to.
There is a possibility of soreness after, but it is not serious in most cases. Most people who get them are able to return to any normal daily activities the day after, and if they do experience discomfort, over the counter painkillers are a viable option to take.
Do They Have Health Benefits?
There are a few reasons to consider getting them, and while the benefits might not be entirely obvious at first, they do make for a compelling case for them. First, they allow you to start eating like you did before any teeth were lost or damaged. This eventually allows you to enjoy more nutrition from what you consume, because you are not reliant upon soft foods entirely anymore.
You can see more about this on this page, for example, but there is more. The main thing is that they provide more stability than a pair of dentures would. They are less likely to slip or change their position within your mouth. When dentures do that, they can sometimes damage the surrounding remaining teeth, hence the concerns about them.
On a final note, to some extent they can help mental health as well. What do I mean by this? Well, they can improve speech patterns. This means that a potentially embarrassing lisp or other impediment might be aided by choosing implants over dentures.
Do They Mimic Real Teeth?
The short answer to this question is yes, they do. However, to get into more detail, the main thing is that they mimic the appearance of natural teeth. So, when you smile, no one will know the difference between implants and real teeth. That is the end goal, of course, because no one wants to feel insecure with their smile.
While not all of us need to have perfectly white and pearly teeth, it’s still good to take care of them. There are a surprising number of health issues that come with not brushing and flossing regularly. Implants are not always a result of poor maintenance – sometimes, these things are out of our control.
They are a viable option for anyone looking for a more permanent solution to damaged or lost ones, though. Because they are surgically added to the mouth and secured with a metal material, they can last a long time. As I mentioned above, the most critical thing to remember is care.
No matter what we do with our oral health, brushing and flossing is the most important part. Don’t forget!
