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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

My intense love for candy, cakes, and everything in between started as a child. I simply couldn't go one day without something sweet to eat. But my love for all things sweet took a toll on my teeth. My dentist diagnosed me with seven cavities, each one a different size and depth. After sitting through four long dental appointments, I decided to make a change. I now monitor my diet and only eat things that benefit my oral health. I'm here to help you take better care of your teeth. My blog offers tips on how to improve your diet, maintain good oral hygiene, and many other topics. Hopefully, you can learn to overcome your bad habits just as I did. Good luck with your future dental health.

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Dental Health and Food: Learning to Eat Better

An Overview Of Dental Implant Installation

by Eric Bailey

Dental implants are one of the first options you should consider if you are looking for the most natural replacement for missing teeth. Unfortunately, some dental patients have concerns about implant installation that cause them to miss out on the benefits of this procedure. Here is an overview of dental implant installation so that you know exactly what to expect if you will be receiving dental implants.

Bone Structure CT Scan

Before your implant installation can begin, your oral surgeon will need to have an understanding of the current structure of your jawbone. You will visit your dentist before the date of the installation for a CT scan of your jaw. This will determine whether your jawbone is dense enough to support the implant screws, as well as how long the implants need to be based on the distance between the top of the jawbone and gums.

The dentist will take an impression of your teeth and use it in conjunction with the results of the CT scan to create a 3D model of the planned implant. This will guarantee that the implant fits as comfortably as possible and minimize the chance that it will loosen and need to be adjusted or reinstalled later.

Installing the Implant Screw

On the day of your implant surgery, the surgeon will first apply a local anesthetic to the gums in the area where the implant will be placed. A small, painless incision is then made in the top of the gums where the tooth is missing, and a flap of the gums is peeled back to reveal the jawbone.

The surgeon will next use a series of drills to make a hole in the jawbone and gradually increase its size. Like the gum incision, this step will be completely painless as a result of the anesthetic. After a hole of sufficient size has been made, the surgeon will refer to the 3D model to insert the implant so that it is flush with the top of the jawbone and aligned properly to prevent crowding against adjacent teeth.

Placing the Abutment and Crown

After the implant screw has been placed into the jawbone, a small metal rod known as an abutment must be attached to the screw to support the crown, or false tooth. Applying the abutment is done in a second visit a few weeks or months after the screw is placed to allow it to fuse properly with the jawbone.

The bottom of the abutment and the top of the implant screw are threaded, so the abutment can simply be screwed into the base of the implant. Finally, the abutment is coated with dental cement and the hollow crown is pushed down onto the abutment. The cement will ensure that the crown stays in place permanently, and the implant screw gives the crown the same strength and support that your roots provide your natural teeth.

Because of their strength, permanence, and natural appearance, many dentists consider dental implants to be the best possible replacement for missing teeth. Talk to your dentist if you are still concerned about dental implant installation to determine if the procedure is right for you.

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