06 Feb Enjoy Your Favorite Foods With Dental Implants
A big, juicy apple, thick steak, crusty piece of bread and many other food favorites may become difficult to eat following tooth loss. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Dental implants can restore tooth loss allowing you to eat all the foods you love.
The loss of one or more teeth due to trauma, decay, or disease can significantly alter your day to day living. Embarrassment can erode self confidence, speech patterns can be affected and the ability to chew can limit food choices. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet, meat and nuts are a great source of protein and many of your favorite snack foods may be difficult to chew.
When tooth loss occurs, you have options to supplant missing teeth. However, if you wish to resume life as you knew it before tooth loss, dental implants are the ideal choice.
The implant itself is a small titanium post that is surgically embedded in gum tissue where tooth loss has occurred. Titanium is the metal of choice for its ability to resist rejection, but primarily due to bone fusing to the metal so completely the implant will become a permanent part of your dental anatomy. This process is referred to as osseointegration.
Once the bone and implant are integrated and the surgical area is healed, your dentist will complete treatment by attaching an abutment to the implant followed by a cosmetic restoration that will have been made to match neighboring teeth in size, shape, and color. You will exit this final dental appointment with the ability to eat, speak, and smile with joy as you no longer suffer from the effects of missing dentition.
Your journey to this point begins with a consultation with your dental provider. A review of your overall health followed by a thorough dental exam will be completed. Dental x-rays will be needed to determine bone strength in the gums where the implant is to be placed. Insufficient bone does not necessarily exclude you as a candidate as there are procedures available to enhance bone.
Caring for dental implants is the same as for your natural teeth … brush and floss daily and see your dentist every six months for cleaning and exam. Your dental implant will allow you to eat all the foods you love for life.
To discuss your own options, call our team today!