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If you’re thinking about getting dental implants in McAllen from North Park Dental, there are a few things you should know before you schedule a consultation with Dr. Ricardo Munoz. In this blog, we’ll take you through a few of the most important facts about implants and how they work. Let’s get started.
Dental implants are surgically placed into your jaw bone, and they bond with the bone to function as an artificial implant. This means that your jaw must be strong and healthy, and have enough bone material for the implant.
If you have been missing one or more teeth for several years, you may need a “bone graft” to strengthen your weakened jaw before you can have an implant placed.
Unlike dentures or dental bridges, dental implants can prevent bone resorption after tooth loss. When we chew and bite, our teeth transmit the force of biting or chewing into the jaw bone, which strengthens and stimulates it.
If you lose a tooth, this no longer happens, which leads to bone resorption. But dental implants are placed directly into the bone, which means they stimulate the jaw bone just like a natural tooth would. In turn, this prevents further bone loss.
At a minimum, you will usually need 3-6 months to recover after your implant is placed. This is because the process of “osseointegration,” which allows your implant to bond with your jaw bone, is quite slow. You must be patient, since your implant must be properly anchored to the jaw tissue before it can be restored with a crown, bridge, or a set of dentures.
It’s true that dental implants are usually more expensive than other methods of replacing missing teeth, like dental bridges and partial dentures. But though the up-front cost is higher, dental implants are a fantastic long-term investment.
Why? Because with proper care, you can expect your implants to last you for the rest of your life. As long as you clean your teeth and gums properly and see Dr. Ricardo Munoz for regular check-ups, you’ll never have to worry about replacing your implants.
Smoking seriously impairs the natural healing process, and can dramatically increase the risk of complications from dental implants, such as “peri-implantitis,” which is an infection of the gums that surround the implant site.
Most dentists will not treat smokers with dental implants, and will require you to cease smoking before the placement of an implant, and throughout the entire recovery and healing process. If you are a smoker and are interested in a dental implant, this is the perfect opportunity to quit and improve your oral health, as well as your overall health.
Still have more questions about dental implants? Not sure if they’re the best option for restoring your smile? The best way to learn more is with an implant consultation at North Park Dental. As an experienced implant dentist, Dr. Ricardo Munoz can discuss the procedure in detail, and help you learn if this method of smile restoration is right for you. Get started by contacting us online, or giving us a call at (956) 997-4044.