Learn About the Advantages of Dental Implants

Some people are lucky to go through life into old age with a strong and healthy set of teeth. However, accidents or health conditions may intervene and you may lose one or several teeth. In some cases, your dentist may have to remove them in order to limit the amount of damage.

What are your options in this case? You could choose a dental bridge, a denture or other tooth replacement options. If you want to restore your confident smile and never have to worry about people noticing that you don’t have real teeth, you should choose dental implants.

What Are Dental Implants?

An implant is an artificial tooth that resembles the shape and color of a natural tooth. It is inserted in the empty spot left by the tooth that fell or had to be removed. In essence, it is the form of tooth replacement most similar to a real tooth.

There are many reasons why most patients opt for dental implants. The first of all is the fact that the implant is a permanent, immobile tooth replacement. Bridges may become lose, and dentures are removable for hygienic purposes (cleaning sanitizing). But a dental implant will stay in place.

Here are some valid reasons to consider a dental implant, even though it is more expensive than other tooth replacement options:

Parker dental implants

  1. Custom Made to Match the Other Teeth

A dental implant is always custom made. The Parker dental implants specialist will select a model in a specialized catalog, matching the shape, size and color of your teeth. They will send the precise specifications to the technician who produces the implant.

Once it is inserted in your jawbone, the dental implant will be indistinguishable from the rest of your natural teeth.

  1. Dental Implants Prevent Bone Loss

Once a tooth is removed, the bone in your jaw around the open space is likely to become eroded. The jawbone tissue needs the stimulation of the teeth to stay healthy. Once a tooth is removed, this stimulation disappears. However, dental implants have the same beneficial effect as natural teeth. They are, in fact, the only form of tooth replacement that can play this role for healthy bone tissues.

  1. No Changes in Speech

People with dentures notice a change in the way they speak. Some of them develop a stutter or other forms of speech defects. The reason for this is that mobile dentures affect the way people pronounce sounds, letters and words.

Dental implants do not cause any change to your natural speech pattern. You will not feel any different from the way you were speaking when you had all your natural teeth.

  1. Dental Implants Are Easy to Care For

When you have dentures, you have to prepare for lifelong expenses with special cleaning solutions and adhesive substances to keep them in place. Having dental implants does not involve any special form of care. All you have to do is floss and brush your teeth as usual.

  1. Dental Implants Maintain the Shape of Your Face

Your face has its shape thanks to your forehead, cheekbones, jaw and teeth. Yes, teeth provide structure to human face. Once you lose several of them, the features appear sunken in and you look older.

Dental implants give you back the full, radiant shape of your face. Plus, you will have all the confidence to face the world with a big, bright smile.

How Do I Select an Oral Surgeon?

oral surgeon Colorado Springs

Finding the oral surgeon who has the right amount of experience and knowledge about the type of procedure that you need is essential for having a successful surgery. To be able to select the right oral surgeon Colorado Springs specialist, you will need to carry out your own research, but you will need help from other medical professionals as well. Here is how.

Asking for Help from Your Dentist

If you think that your dental issue might require a surgical intervention, your first stop should be at your regular dentist, who will perform an inspection of the problem and will tell you if you need surgery, indeed. If you do, ask your doctor to recommend you an oral surgeon and make sure to find out what makes the recommended surgeon so great for you, what type of experience he or she has and what his or her specialties are.

Insurance Aspects

Oral surgery is very expensive if you have to pay for it out of your pocket, so the next step after obtaining one or several recommendations from your dentist is to find out whether your medical insurance covers for oral surgery, then you will also need to find out whether the surgeon who has been recommended to you is in your insurer’s network of approved surgeons. If the specialist is an out-of-network surgeon, you can either use his or her services, being aware that the process will cost you more than with a specialist from your insurer’s network or you can keep looking for an equally qualified and experienced specialist from your insurer’s network.

Do Some Research of Your Own Before You Make an Appointment

It is a good idea to check more sources of information, even if you have complete trust in your dentist’s recommendations. Many oral surgeons have their own websites or, if they work in a practice with several other doctors, you will find a description of the services provided by the surgeon you look for described on the practice’s website. There are many other websites where you can find information related to oral surgeons – some rate oral surgeons and their offices based on multiple, very relevant criteria and you will also find websites on which previous patients share their opinions and their experiences with the oral surgeon that treated them and your state’s medical board can also provide background information about oral surgeons.

Contact the Doctor

If you think that you have found the right oral surgeon based on your research and your dentist’s recommendations, it is time to make an appointment with the doctor. Your personal impressions are very important, so trust your instinct and go with the doctor who seemed suitable initially only if you feel that you can trust that person, if you feel comfortable in the surgeon’s office. Ask the doctor to explain to you the steps of the procedure and have a look at the room where the surgery will take place. Tell the surgeon about your concerns – the answers that you will get, the personality of the surgeon and the way he or she talks to you will help you decide whether the surgeon is right for you or you will need to keep on searching.

How to Choose the Best Type of Toothbrush

toothbrush selection

Toothbrushes come in a seemingly infinite variety of shapes, sizes, colors and styles, which makes the selection of the best type of toothbrush for you easy and difficult at the same time. The best brush is one that cleans your teeth efficiently and meets your specific requirements as well – here is a little help with the aspects to consider when choosing your new toothbrush.

Manual or Electric

In terms of operation, there are basically two types of toothbrushes: manual brushes and electrical devices. If used correctly, both types are efficient, but according to some experts, electrical brushes do a slightly better job at cleaning problem areas and they are a better alternative for people suffering from some kind of illness that limits their manual dexterity as well as for those who wear some kind of dental appliance.

The Bristles

Toothbrushes are available with soft, medium and hard bristles. Dental hygienist professionals recommend soft brushes because they are gentler on both the enamel of the teeth and on the gums and softer bristles are more flexible, therefore they clean more efficiently.

The Head and the Handle

Toothbrushes vary in terms of head shape and head size as well. The most common head size is around one inch tall and half an inch wide – for most adults, this size is suitable for reaching the teeth in the back on the mouth comfortably and for maneuvering the brush in the mouth easily.

The handle should be long enough to be able to grab it firmly, but not too long or too thick. There are other features that you need to decide about when it comes to the handle of the toothbrush: some brushes have non-slip handles, while others come with flexible necks to make the movement of the head more efficient.

Cost

Manual toothbrushes are cheaper, while electrical brushes are more expensive. The reason for the price difference is that electrical brushes last longer – you still need to replace the brush head at the same intervals as in the case of manual brushes (every 3-4 months among normal usage conditions, earlier if you have suffered from an infection, a cold or a flu to avoid getting re-infected with the bacteria that have accumulated on the toothbrush), but most electrical appliances come with several heads included in the kit, so replacement will not cost you anything for a while.

The User’s Age

The toothbrushes designed for children are different from the brushes for adults in terms of shape, size, style and bristle softness. The brushes for children are available in many different colors and you can buy a brush that feature’s your child’s favorite cartoon character to make usage more interesting. Children’s brushes have smaller heads and softer bristles than the brushes for adults to make brushing safer and more comfortable.

The best type of toothbrush is out there for everyone – just figure out the features that you need and you will surely find the style that you find easy and enjoyable to use and that offers you the cleanliness that will make your smile truly beautiful. Check with your dentist Highlands Ranch professional for more personalized advice and recommendations.