Are you looking to say goodbye to your dentures for good? They may be lifechanging for people who are missing most of or all of their teeth, but there are still plenty of downsides that you care to live without. Fortunately, dental implants are an option as well. They have all sorts of different benefits and more than 3 million Americans are already experiencing them. Here are some of the benefits as well as tips to help you make a smooth transition.

The Benefits of Dental Implants

There are numerous reasons to make the switch to implants. Here are some of their awesome benefits:

• Stability: If your dentures aren’t fitting correctly, you will notice that they lack stability. It is difficult to eat when they are slipping and sliding all over the place. Dental implants are anchored into the jawbone, providing stability just like natural teeth.
• Zero food restrictions: You’ll want to be careful when eating foods that are hard and sticky, but you won’t have any eating restrictions once your implants completely heal. This is because they restore up to 90% of your natural chewing power.
• Prevents bone loss: Dental implants are the only tooth replacement option out there that preserves the integrity of the jawbone. They replace the natural root of the tooth, therefore allowing the bone to be stimulated from regular biting and chewing.
• Long life: Dentures need to be replaced approximately every 7 to 10 years. Implants can last upwards of 25 years and even the rest of your life with proper maintenance.
• Easy maintenance: There is no need to stock up on adhesives or soak your teeth at night. You take care of your implants like you would with your natural teeth. Just brush, floss, and rinse.

Tips for Making the Transition

Adjusting to dental implants will take a bit of time to get used to. Here are a few tips to help you become accustomed:

• Expect time to heal: You will need to take some time for your mouth to heal after your dental implant surgery. Take off a couple days of work ahead of time, and be sure to get plenty of rest during this time.
• Start out with softer foods: You won’t have any food restrictions once your implants have completely healed, but for now it is important that you are sticking to soft foods so that the healing process isn’t disturbed.
• Adjust your oral hygiene routine: You won’t be needing your adhesives or soaking solutions anymore. Instead, you will need to adjust to an oral hygiene routine similar to one for natural teeth. You can find special toothbrushes made specifically for people who have dental implants to make brushing easier.

There’s definitely a period of adjusting when you get dental implants, but it is well worth it. You’ll be showing off a beautiful smile in no time!

About the Author

Dr. Chris Thorburn earned his dental doctorate from the University of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston and is passionate about continuing education. Currently, he is a proud member of the American Dental Association, the Texas Dental Association, the Greater Fort Worth Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the International Team for Implants. For more information or to schedule an appointment at his office in Fort Worth, visit his website or call (817) 292-5957.