Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

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Tackling Your Dental Treatment Plan

Hi! My name is Addy Reed. I’m 57 years old and have been neglectful about going to the dentist. Last month was my first dentist visit in six years. I had always been diligent about twice a year cleanings and checkups, but time got away from me until one of my crowns came out. As we age, the dental work from years past tends to do that. When you neglect to visit the dentist on a regular basis, the list of things that need to be done may grow; at least this was my experience. I left the dentist office with an extensive list of things I needed to have done. The office staff was very kind. They are working with me to set up a plan. I’m going to share some ideas on how to tackle a dental treatment plan, keeping it affordable and not too overwhelming.

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Things Implant Patients Can Do To Promote The Success Of Their Implants

4 October 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

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A dental implant restoration resembles a natural tooth in many ways. Each implant is a prosthesis that replaces the dental root of a tooth. The implant is placed in the jawbone. As a result, like a natural tooth, it is primarily held in place by the bone. In addition, the implant is made of titanium, which is a metal commonly used in invasive procedures because of its nonreactive nature. 

The bone of the jaw connects or fuses with the implant through osseointegration, a healing process that involves the bone cells growing around the implanted device. After osseointegration is complete, the dental implant is locked into place and can easily withstand the bite pressure of a natural tooth. 

To complete the dental implant restoration for a single tooth, a connector or abutment is attached to the device. The connector prepares the implant to be fitted with a dental crown. The crown completes the restoration and gives the implant the look and full functionality of a regular tooth.

Because dental implants function and look like natural teeth, they are often preferred over other restorative applications, such as dental bridges and partial dentures. Still, dental implants need to be properly cared for in order to avoid failure. 

Here are a few things that implant patients can do to help promote the success of their restoration.

Continue to Exercise Great Dental Hygiene

The success of a dental implant is partially dependent on the state of the gums. People with periodontal disease tend to suffer a higher rate of implant failure. The gums that are adjacent to the implant can develop a special type of gum inflammation called peri-implantitis, which can prevent the implant wound from healing.

Gum disease or inflammation can be avoided through regular flossing and brushing. In addition, an antimicrobial mouth rinse can be used to help eliminate oral bacteria in the mouth that could cause a gum infection. 

Continue to Wear a Night Guard

If an implant patient has been diagnosed with bruxism, the patient should continue to use a night guard. The force of the teeth grinding against the implant can push the implant out of position. As the connection between the gums and the implant is broken, the device fails. Once an implant fails, the placement of a new implant is required. 

To learn more about dental implants and protecting them from failure, contact a business such as Crest Hill Family Dental.