Dental Implants in Elkhart
Missing teeth can cause all sorts of problems. Problems you might not recognize. Not only can tooth loss make eating and speaking difficult, but all those empty tooth sockets can severely damage your oral health.
Missing Teeth and Oral Health
Your teeth—the ones you still have—are constantly urging your jawbone to produce marrow and maintain its structure and strength. This can keep your face looking full and youthful. When teeth fall out, the jaw no longer receives that stimulation and can shrivel and weaken.
Another problem we see a lot with patients who have missing teeth is periodontal disease. This condition can cause tooth loss to begin with, but when your teeth fall out, they leave behind open holes for more bacteria to burrow into.
Understanding How We Can Help
Whether you suffer from missing, discolored, or decayed teeth, you probably want a smile that looks and feels fantastic. At Orange Door Dental Group in Elkhart, IN, we provide dental solutions to missing teeth that can give you the smile you want and deserve.
One of our most popular methods for tooth replacement is dental implants. We provide dental implants as a more permanent solution to restoring missing teeth than traditional dentures or bridges.
How Do Dental Implants Work?
Dental implants are a titanium post that is installed in the jaw for each missing tooth. An artificial tooth or crown is installed onto the titanium posts. This provides a durable, long-lasting, and more natural looking tooth replacement.
Dental Implant Procedure
The first step in receiving a dental implant is to schedule a consultation visit. During this consultation, we assess the health of your jaw and determine the first step. If your jawbone is lacking density, we may recommend a bone graft.
Placing the Dental Implant
The titanium post implant needs to be surgically placed in the jaw. The post then takes some time to fuse with your jawbone, a process known as osseointegration. Not only does this improve the health of your jaw, it also gives you the same stability and strength as a natural tooth root.
Attaching the Abutment and Dental Crown
A tooth restoration is finished by attaching an abutment and dental implant crown. The abutment holds the crown on the implant. This crown is custom designed to look and feel like your natural teeth. Once your tooth is restored, you’ll be able to share your stunning new smile with confidence.
Why Should I Get a Dental Implant?
There are many benefits to having dental implants in comparison to other types of restorative dental procedures. Dental implants are a more permanent solution for replacing lost teeth than conventional dentures and bridges, and implants do not have to be removed for cleaning.
Other benefits of dental implants include the following:
Durability:
Because the post is placed directly in the jaw, the tooth has a stable and permanent feel. Dental Implants are long-lasting without any special cleaning or treatment. You’ll get to keep your new smile for years.
Improved Bone Density:
Placing a dental implant in your mouth can not only prevent bone loss but can also encourage bone regrowth. The health of your jawbone can improve significantly in just a few months.
Better Dentures:
With implant technology, we can offer implant-supported dentures. These dentures are a great alternative to traditional dentures because they offer additional stability and endurance.
Easier Care:
With traditional dental bridges or dentures, you have to use special flossing tools, cleaners, and adhesives to clean around your dental work. Dental implants can eliminate the need for all that extra work. Simply brush and floss as you did before.
A Beautiful New Smile:
The gaps in your smile can be filled and you can share your stunning new smile with everyone! Implants can be a great confidence boost for many patients.
In addition, the dental implant titanium posts can last a lifetime. Other dental appliances can wear over time or lose their fit when the gums and jaw change their shape due to bone deterioration.
Caring for Your Dental Implant
One of the reasons our patients love dental implants is because of how easy it is to care for them. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. We may recommend a non-abrasive toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
Keeping an Eye on Your Oral Health
You should also continue to schedule routine dental appointments so we can keep an eye on your oral health in general. We can take x-rays of your mouth to check on the implant and ensure the surrounding bone remains healthy.
Non-Conventional Dentures and Bridges
Some types of dentures and bridges are made to fit dental implants. This allows for a more natural look and feel for dentures and bridges. Without the implant in the jaw, the gums and jawbone can deteriorate and change shape over time.
The dental implant also provides a more stable fit, which eliminates concerns about a bridge or denture slipping out of place. You can also forget about flossing all the spaces in your dental bridge and keep flossing as you normally would.
A Full Smile Is Within Reach With Orange Door Dental Group
If you’re ready to have a beautiful, confident smile again, turn to Orange Door Dental Group. Our experienced and accredited dental staff is here to help you. Dental implants are an important step, and we want to ensure that you have the answers you need.
We are a highly patient-focused dental practice. Everything we do, from our routine cleanings, to our implant procedures, is centered around improving the health and happiness of our patients. We love to see your smile and want to do what we can to see it more often.
Give Us a Call Today To See How We Can Improve Your Smile
Call us today at our Elkhart location. We welcome all of your questions, your concerns, and your comments. Most of all, we look forward to serving your dental implant needs and providing you with a smile that you can be proud of.