01 Jun 2021
dental implant

Has your smile been greatly affected by dental decay? Teeth that have experienced major damage may need to be removed before an infection can develop. If you have experienced tooth loss due to decay or injury, restorative dentistry may be the next best option. Dental implants may be a great choice to repair your smile! Our Boynton Beach best dentist has some tips for understanding smile restoration with dental implants.

Get Your Oral Health in Check
It is essential that your smile is totally healthy before restoration can be considered. An initial consultation and dental cleaning can help to determine if your smile is impacted by persistent decay or gum disease. These conditions will need to be completely cleared and treated before restorative procedures can begin. Gum disease can lead to oral infections that may compromise the integrity of some restorative treatments, like dental implants. An accumulation of plaque and bacteria can lead to serious oral health issues in the future, so our best dentist in Boynton Beach recommends that patients have any major or minor oral health issues treated prior to the consideration of any restorative treatment.

Schedule a Consultation
A consultation can help you understand what type of restorative treatment would be right for your smile. Dental implants are great for almost every smile, but not all patients are good candidates. Anyone with a history of poor oral hygiene, smoking or tobacco use, or anyone living with a chronic illness may not be able to support dental implants. Pregnant women may also be ineligible for implants because they are at a higher risk for oral health issues. Patients who lack the bone or gum structure necessary to support dental implants may require additional procedures prior to treatment. Bone and gum grafting procedures can be performed to help build a more stable structure for the implant to attach to. Once your smile is healthy and strong enough, implants can be considered to restore your smile.

Understand the Risks
Once inserted, dental implants heal and fuse to the jaw over time. It is possible for an implant to fail to attach, in which case an immediate appointment would be necessary to re-attach the implant. Patients with chronic health conditions like diabetes or heart disease are more at risk for implant failure. The entire process of having dental implants takes multiple visits to complete, so the process will take several weeks. If the implant fails, an additional appointment will be necessary to repair the implant. After your implant has been successfully attached, no additional treatment will be necessary. It is still important that you take great care of your smile even if you have false teeth because plaque and tartar can still accumulate. Plaque and tartar can lead to gum disease surrounding your implant and it may contribute to decay in surrounding healthy teeth. Take care of your implant just as you would your natural teeth to keep your smile healthy.

To learn more about dental implants and restorative dentistry, contact our Boynton Beach best dentist today! You can reach our team by contacting the office at (561) 737-1223 or by filling out an appointment request form directly on our site. We look forward to helping you restore your smile, so schedule your visit today!