If you have missing teeth, the best option to replace them is dental implants. Implants look and feel natural, and will last for many years if properly cared for. Diligent oral care will help ensure your implants remain healthy well into the future.
Success of the Dental Implant
Our dentist will assess your eligibility for dental implants by determining how successful the procedure is likely to be. If you have problems that can affect your ability to heal, he probably will not recommend implants. If our dentist does feel you’re a good candidate, however, the odds of success are about 95%.
Some issues that could make it difficult for you to heal after implant surgery include:
- Diabetes
- Gum disease
- Autoimmune disorders
- Smoking
It’s also important that you have enough bone in your jaw to support the implants. The bone bonds to the titanium root portion of the implant, keeping the new tooth stable and preventing eventual atrophy of the bone tissue.
Long-Term Implant Success
To keep your implants healthy over the long term, you should care for them as much as you care for your natural teeth. You’ll need to keep your gums healthy and free of plaque, and take good care of your remaining natural teeth. Regular brushing and flossing helps remove food particles as well as plaque from the surfaces of the teeth and from between them. You should also floss around your abutments—the parts of your dental implants that hold the prosthetic teeth in place. This kind of diligent everyday care will help prevent gum disease that could endanger your implants and keep your remaining teeth from decaying.
In addition, you should see our dentist regularly just as you did before you received your implants. In fact, our dentist might recommend more frequent visits to be sure your gums remain healthy. If you develop gum disease, this could cause long-term problems with your implants, so it’s important to keep your mouth as clean and healthy as possible.
Call our office at 416-922-1012 and set up your consultation with our caring staff.