What are Dental Implants?

What condition is your smile in? Do you have stained, discolored, or misaligned teeth that prevent you from confidently smiling? If you need help finding dental implants in Tampa Bay, consult with Lake Park Dental.

Dental Implant Basics

Implants can be made from one of several different materials:

  • Composite resin
  • Porcelain
  • Acrylic
  • Zirconia

There are several more, but these are the most common. They all have their pros and cons; however, porcelain is one of the most common.

Types of Implants

Depending on your individual needs, we offer many services for you. We provide the following implants options:

  • Tooth replacements
  • Dentures
  • Bridge corrections
  • Mouth reconfiguring

If you’re missing a single tooth or a couple, we can help you out. The process involves the removal of the dead tooth or tooth fragment. Once a hole is made, a slit in the gun is created. The slit helps the dentist insert the titanium screw into the jawbone to securely anchor.

Once the screw is inserted, the abutment is connected to the top of the screw. This is what will eventually hold your brand new tooth, and you can rest easy knowing that the crown will stay firmly attached. But, of course, if you need a whole row of implants, we can do that as well.

Why Use Porcelain for Implants?

Porcelain naturally looks a lot like human enamel. The coloring of the material makes it very ideal; it’s also very durable. While stronger than teeth, you still need to practice good and proper hygiene.

Porcelain implants have been known even to help protect surrounding teeth from everyday wear and tear. In addition, with proper care, these implants can last a very long time. Porcelain dentures can withstand over 15 years of wear and tear.

Proper Maintenance of Implants

Your second set of teeth need tender loving care if you want them to last a while. Here is a list of best practices you should adopt if you need implants or already have them:

  • Brush twice a day for two minutes, each time
  • Avoid abrasive toothpaste
  • Brush everything thoroughly, including the under the crown
  • Floss with implant floss or nonwaxy floss, whichever your dentist recommends

A Potential Post-Implant Risk

It’s essential to understand the risks of not properly taking care of implants. While the implant itself isn’t susceptible to infection, the surrounding biological tissues are. So even if you have zero natural teeth left, your gums and bones need to be cleaned appropriately.

One potential complication is peri-implantitis. This is when bacteria accumulate right underneath the gum line. It can be especially disastrous if not detected early enough to lead to the bone under the implant breakdown.

The other possibility is peri-implantitis mucositis which attacks just soft tissues around the plant and not the bone. Unlike implants, this can be treated and reversed, whereas peri-implants require surgery to repair bone damage, not reverse it.

For More Information on Dental Implants in Tampa Bay

Reach out to us professionals at Lake Park Dental. We have extensive experience giving people a second smile, so let us set you on your path to a better smile.

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