What Are Dental Implants?

Dental implants have revolutionized the field of dentistry by offering a permanent solution to tooth loss. Unlike other restorative options, like bridges and dentures, implants provide a stable and durable foundation for replacement teeth, mimicking the natural structure of a tooth.  

A Solid Foundation for a Lifetime

One of the key factors that set implants apart is their exceptional durability. The implant itself is typically made from titanium, a biocompatible material that merges with the jawbone through a process called osseointegration. This fusion creates a robust bond that mimics the strength of natural tooth roots.

As a result, implants provide unparalleled stability and support for replacement teeth. Unlike removable dentures, which can slip or click during speech and chewing, implants stay firmly anchored in place. This stability not only enhances comfort but also allows individuals with tooth implants to enjoy a full range of foods without restrictions.

Longevity Beyond Comparison

With proper care and maintenance, implants can last for decades, and in many cases, a lifetime. Traditional tooth replacement options, such as bridges and dentures, may require frequent adjustments or replacements over the years due to wear and tear. In contrast, dental implants offer a more permanent and cost-effective solution in the long run.

Dental implants are highly durable and can resist decay better than natural teeth. They are not prone to cavities. However, it is necessary to maintain proper oral hygiene to prevent gum disease and maintain the health of the surrounding tissues.

Preserving Jawbone Health

Beyond their remarkable durability, tooth implants contribute to the preservation of jawbone health—a critical factor often overlooked in tooth replacement considerations. When a tooth is lost, the jawbone can begin to deteriorate over time due to lack of stimulation. By integrating with the jawbone, dental implants provide the necessary stimulation to prevent bone loss.

This preservation of jawbone density not only maintains facial aesthetics but also ensures the stability of neighboring teeth. Without the support of implants, adjacent teeth may shift over time, leading to misalignment and further dental issues. The long-term benefits of implants extend beyond the replacement of a single tooth; they contribute to overall oral health and the structural integrity of the entire dental arch.

Investing in a Lifetime of Smiles

While the initial investment in dental implants may seem higher compared to other tooth replacement options, the long-term benefits far outweigh the cost. Consider implants as an investment in your oral health and quality of life. The durability and lifespan of implants offer a reliable and permanent solution, reducing the need for frequent replacements or adjustments associated with other dental prosthetics.

Dental Implants in Duncan, OK

Tooth implants are unrivaled in durability, their impressive lifespan, and their positive impact on jawbone health. Choosing implants is not just a decision for today; it’s an investment in a lifetime of smiles, comfort, and confidence. If you are considering tooth replacement options, call us today at 580-255-4880 to explore the lasting benefits that dental implants can bring to your oral health journey.

The post The Long-Term Benefits of Dental Implants: A Look at Durability and Lifespan appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

As for esthetics, old dentures may appear larger than your natural teeth, making them look fake. No one wants to share a smile with obviously fake, large teeth. Modern dentures are made with contemporary dental materials that make both the teeth and the gum portions look natural. 

You’re living in a time when dentistry has excellent options to replace your teeth. Now, dentures can be securely attached to your jaws with dental implants. You’ll never experience loose, wobbling, slipping dentures or the need to reline your false teeth. In today’s blog, you’ll learn:

• What implant-retained dentures are
• Benefits of implant-retained dentures
• What the procedure is for getting implants
• Care and longevity of implant-retained false teeth
• How to find out if implant-retained dentures are right for you

Implant-Retained Dentures

If you have generally good overall and oral health, you will probably qualify for implant-retained false teeth. Issues like gum disease, poor jaw density, bruxism (clenching and grinding teeth), and some health conditions and treatments can make a person ineligible for dental implants. In the case of poor bone density, a bone graft may improve candidacy. 

Usually, four to six dental implants can reliably anchor one arch of false teeth. Dentures are fabricated with snaps, and they click in place onto implants. Implant-retained dentures can be fixed or removable, based on the patient’s desires. For patients with age-related cognitive impairment, we suggest fixed implant-retained dentures to avoid misplacing or breaking the prosthetics.

Benefits of Implant-Retained Dentures

• Will not slip, wobble, or fall out when eating a meal
• Strong enough to allow the patient no dietary restrictions
• Implants help protect the integrity of the jawbone, reducing the chance of deterioration
• Dentures will not rub against gum ridges and cause sores
• Dental implants can last a lifetime
• Easy care and maintenance
• Look natural and attractive
• Feel confident eating in public

The Implant Placement Procedure

To secure implants in the jaw, a brief outpatient surgery is required. During this procedure, the dentist will insert small, screw-shaped dental implants into the jawbone. Over about six to nine months, your jawbone will naturally grow around the implant posts. At the end of this period, the patient will return for exposure of implant heads and attachment of abutments. The abutments connect a set of false teeth to the patient’s jaw. 

All in all, getting dental implants to secure your false teeth will take under one year, unless you require prerequisite bone grafting or gum disease treatments. 

Care and Longevity of Implant-Retained False Teeth

Implant-retained dentures are easy to maintain. Use a soft nylon denture brush for twice-daily brushing. Floss daily. Do not smoke or drink an excessive amount of alcohol. Visit Dr. Matthew Bridges every six months or as often as directed. Your dental implants should endure your lifetime. If the false teeth wear down or become otherwise damaged, they may need replacement. 

Are Implant-Retained Dentures Right for You?

The only way to know for certain if you should replace your traditional false teeth with implant-retained dentures is to visit our Duncan dentist’s office for an evaluation and consultation. Dr. Matthew Bridges is accepting new patients and will be happy to answer all of your questions at your appointment. Call 580-255-4880 to schedule your dental implant consultation today!

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This blog is a continuation of last week’s post: The Knockout Punch for Oral Infection. We’ll pick up where we left off, adding information about when to remove teeth and how to replace them with comfortably functioning, long-lasting prosthetics. 

We’ll explore:

• • Re-claiming good oral health
  • Tips to prevent oral infection
  • When to remove teeth
  • Contemporary replacement teeth
  • How to find professional help

How to Re-claim Good Oral Health

Most oral infections are the result of poor oral hygiene practices. If you don’t brush and floss daily, and also visit Dr. Bridges and our hygienists every six months for an exam and cleaning, you’re more likely to develop oral infections.

However, you may brush and floss daily, and see the dentist every six months for preventive care. You may go to the dentist when you notice abnormalities in your mouth. Still, you can develop cavities, gum disease, and other oral infections.

If you have oral infections or any other oral issues that require attention, Dr. Bridges can evaluate, diagnose, and treat the conditions. He offers full mouth restoration (FMR), which involves a phased treatment plan to cure oral infections and dental damage, while also establishing healthy oral function. We offer options to remove teeth and replace teeth with modern prosthetics, including dental implants for single and multiple teeth.

Tips to Preemptively Fight Oral Infection

Before diving into topics about teeth removal and replacement, let’s spend a minute reviewing best practices for oral home hygiene. 

Every day, without fail, you should follow this simple home hygiene routine:

• • AM: Brush teeth with fluoridated toothpaste. 
  • PM: Floss teeth. Brush teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste.

When you brush, hold the toothbrush at a 45% angle to the teeth and use up and down, side to side, and circular motions. Floss teeth before brushing. You may add a tongue scraper to your brushing sessions, to clean bacteria off the tongue. This helps fight bad breath, too. A mouthwash with fluoride can fight bacteria, freshen breath, and strengthen teeth.

Children under three years of age should use UN-fluoridated toothpaste. 

Denture wearers and braces patients can use special tools to help make brushing, flossing, and cleaning more effective. 

Every six months, you need to visit Dr. Bridges for an exam and cleaning. If gum disease is present, you may need a deep cleaning, which can involve a few visits to complete. 

If you notice anything unusual in your mouth, please call our Duncan dental office so that we can schedule an exam.

When to Remove Teeth

Our goal as your dental care provider is to help you avoid dental issues. A solid oral homecare routine and twice-a-year preventive visits at Chisholm Trail Smile Center will go a long, long, long way toward preventing dental issues. However, if you need dental treatment, Dr. Bridges will provide a complete treatment plan to re-establish your good oral health. 

• • Impaction
  • Crowding
  • Gum disease
  • Tooth infection
  • Irreparable tooth damage
  • In preparation for dentures

In some cases, we must remove teeth due to:

Dr. Bridges may remove teeth due to impaction or crowding, in which case replacement teeth aren’t necessary. When he removes teeth because of gum disease, infection, irreparable damage, or in preparation for dentures, the patient will need replacement teeth. Patients who neglect replacing teeth should expect the remaining teeth to drift toward the spaces left behind. This can negatively impact appearance, as well as occlusion (how upper and lower teeth fit together).

Contemporary Replacement Teeth

Dr. Bridges provides patients with traditional replacement teeth, as well as implant-secured prosthetics. A prosthetic is a replacement. This overview of options will help you understand dental prosthetics. 

Single Teeth

Traditional bridge: a prosthetic made with crowns on one or both ends and solid replacement teeth in the center; non-removable

Single-tooth implant: one biocompatible implant installed in the jaw holds a single crown; non-removable

+ Teeth in a Row

Traditional bridge (see above)

Implant-secured bridge: two biocompatible implants installed in the jaw to hold a bridge of two or more teeth; non-removable

All Teeth on Top and/or Bottom Arch

Traditional dentures: a full arch of teeth; top dentures are secured with suction or adhesive; lower dentures require adhesive for stability; removable 

Implant-retained dentures: four or more implant posts installed in the upper or lower jaw to retain a denture; permanent or removable implant-retained dentures are available

How to Find Professional Help

Dr. Bridges and our team take great pride in how we care for our patients. All restorations and replacement teeth we use are carefully constructed to look natural, feel solid, and function comfortably. Whether Dr. Bridges needs to remove teeth and replace them or simply provide fillings, crowns, and periodontal treatment, you’ll find the services you need at Chisholm Trail Smile Center, your Duncan, OK, dental practice. Give us a call at 580-255-4880 to schedule your exam today.

 

The post Best Options to Remove Teeth and Replace Them appeared first on Chisholm Trail.

Dr. Matthew Bridges and our team at Chisholm Trail Smile Center will guide you through dental restoration choices, explaining options and answering all of your questions. At our dental office in Duncan, OK, we offer bridges, dentures, and dental implants. In today’s blog, we will dive into some of the most common questions about implants.

How do dental implants work?

A dental implant is a small, biocompatible post used to anchor a new tooth or teeth to your jaw. Dr. Bridges works with trusted, local oral surgeons and periodontists for the surgical portion of the dental implant process. Our team will oversee your case from beginning to end. Dr. Bridges offers the initial consultation, then after surgery, he will provide the final restoration: a custom crown, bridge, or full denture.

Dental implant surgery takes a few hours and falls under the heading of minor oral surgeries. You’ll be made comfortable with anesthetic and/or sedation, such as nitrous oxide, halcion, or valium. Then the surgeon will insert one or more dental implants into your jaw, in the empty socket(s) left by missing teeth. You may wear a temporary crown or denture until the final restoration is made.

Expect healing to take three to nine months as jawbone tissue fully fuses and integrates with the implant post(s). 

Once the dental implant has fully fused to your bone and the surgeon clears you to get a permanent prosthetic, you will return to Dr. Bridges. After the new crown, bridge, or denture is attached to your implant(s), it will feel, fit, and function like natural, healthy teeth.  

Why choose dental implants? 

Missing teeth that aren’t replaced lead to a host of additional dental problems, including:

• Shifting Teeth
• Misaligned Teeth
• Reduced Jawbone Density
• Sagging Facial Muscles/Aged Appearance
• Increased Risk of Gum Disease
• Increased Risk of Further Tooth Loss

Dental implants are a popular choice for tooth replacement due to their many benefits, such as:

• Providing the look and feel of natural teeth
• Returning functionality to your mouth
• Providing a success rate of 98 percent
• Lasting up to 20+ years when cared for properly 
• Helping lower the risk of gum disease 
• Helping you retain your facial structure and youthful appearance 
• Lowering your risk of misalignment issues

What are the eligibility requirements for dental implants?

Most patients fit the eligibility standards for dental implants. However, some exemptions exist. Your implant dentist may suggest another course of treatment if you have any of the following issues:

• You don’t meet the bone density requirements.

Your implant dentist will examine the density of your jawbone by taking x-rays of. If your jawbone has deteriorated, you may need a bone graft to improve jawbone strength. Once you’ve healed from this procedure, you can revisit the dental implant option.

• You are in poor health.

Since getting dental implants requires a short, minor surgery, you need a strong immune system and good general health. Undergoing even an outpatient procedure could put further stress on your physical health. 

• You have unhealthy teeth and gums. 

For a successful implant procedure, your teeth and gums must be healthy prior to surgery. Tooth decay or gum disease could create more issues for your new implant or worse, lead to serious illnesses. 

Ready to get started on restoring your teeth? Call your implant dentist today!

Missing teeth can cause serious issues for your dental health and make you feel self-conscious. You don’t have to wait any longer to restore your smile. Implant dentist Dr. Matthew Bridges and our team at Chisholm Trail Dental Center in Duncan, OK, can create a smile you’ll love. Contact us online or call us today at 580-255-4880.

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