Dental Implants Walnut Creek

Day-to-Day Benefits

Dental implants may improve your daily quality of life in several ways:

• Ability to eat anything. Dental implants can equip you to eat virtually any food, including tough and chewy items that are off-limits with traditional dentures.
• A beautiful smile. Dental implants restorations look and feel just like natural teeth, so you will have no reason to feel self-conscious about your smile.
• Clear speech. Tooth loss may make it difficult to enunciate certain sounds. In contrast, dental implants can help you to speak with clarity and confidence.
• Easy maintenance. In many ways, taking good care of dental implants is similar to caring for natural teeth. Thorough oral hygiene and regular visits to your dentist are both important!

Health Benefits

Dental implants have the potential to benefit your oral and overall health in multiple ways:

• A balanced diet. Because dental implants are durable enough to stand up to almost any food, you can enjoy a nutrient-rich diet that supports your overall wellness.
• A happier state of mind. Implants may give you the confidence to engage in meaningful social interactions with other humans, which can be excellent for your mental health.
• Jawbone preservation. Dental implants act as prosthetic tooth roots; they stimulate the jawbone and help to prevent the deterioration that normally occurs after tooth extractions.
• Benefits for natural teeth. Implants can prevent your remaining natural teeth from drifting out of place. Plus, placing dental implants usually does not require that any nearby teeth be modified.
• Healthier gums. Whereas traditional dentures can rub against the gum tissue and cause discomfort, that is never an issue with dental implants.

Long-Term Benefits

You can expect to start enjoying benefits from your dental implants soon after you receive them. Those benefits can continue for many years.

• With proper care, dental implants have the potential to last for many decades. For some patients, they last an entire lifetime! The restorations on top of them can also endure for a long time.
• Monetary value. Even though dental implants cost more upfront than traditional forms of tooth replacement, their longevity and other benefits make them an excellent monetary value. Over the course of several years, they may end up costing less than a daily trip to your favorite espresso shop!
• Long-term health benefits. Did you know that tooth loss is associated with a shorter lifespan? Dental implants can support your overall wellness and might even allow you to live longer.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Most healthy adults with missing teeth are positive candidates for dental implants, but only a consultation can tell us for sure. At your appointment, we can check for factors like:

• One or more missing teeth
• Good oral hygiene
• No severe gum disease
• Adequate bone density, or a willingness to consider grafting
• No smoking or vaping, or commitment to quit during healing
• Uncontrolled health conditions like diabetes
• Autoimmune disorders

It’s important to discuss these factors so that our team can formulate a treatment plan that works specifically for you. Dental implants are a highly successful treatment, but much of that is gained through a rigorous consultation and pre-screening process. Once we’re sure you’re a candidate, we’ll walk you through each step of your plan to make the process as easy as possible.

Missing One Tooth

Even one missing tooth can affect your bite and lead to issues like shifting teeth. A dental implant is often the best solution, as it replaces the entire structure of the tooth without affecting others nearby, as is the case with a traditional dental bridge.

For a single implant at our Walnut Creek dental office, we carefully place the titanium or zirconia fixture into your jawbone. Then, we connect it to a custom crown that looks and functions just like your other natural teeth. The result is a strong, permanent replacement that’s indistinguishable from your original tooth.

Missing Multiple Teeth

If you’re missing several teeth in a row, dental implants can also support a durable, natural-looking bridge. Instead of placing an implant for every missing tooth, we can use two implants to anchor a custom bridge prosthetic in place. This offers better stability and function than a traditional bridge or partial denture.

The process for this is much like a single implant, but requires two or more to be placed at once so they heal in tandem. Once your permanent prosthetic is anchored in, it will instantly improve your ability to chew and speak.

Missing All Teeth

For patients missing all their teeth, there’s still hope! A full-arch implant denture offers a secure, long-lasting alternative to traditional appliances. Using as few as four to six implants per arch, we can affix a complete set of upper or lower teeth to completely rebuild your smile.

These implanted dentures are more stable than removable ones and help preserve jawbone structure over time. Not only will you be able to eat anything you want, but you’ll avoid costly replacements, denture products like adhesives, and extra steps in your maintenance routine. You’ll be able to eat, talk, and smile with confidence again without worrying about slippage.

Make Oral Hygiene a Priority

Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash daily are essential to preventing issues like peri-implantitis, a leading cause of failed dental implants. It's crucial to protect the surrounding gums and connective tissues from damage or infection, as this can weaken the support for your implants, causing the metal posts to loosen or even fall out.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Dental implants can restore 80% or more of your natural biting power, allowing you to enjoy many of your favorite foods that require extra chewing. However, it’s important to protect your gums from bacteria and infection in the long run.

To do this, limit sugary foods and drinks as they can encourage germs to build up and harm the surrounding tissues. Instead, focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and dairy products to keep both your mouth and implants healthy.

Break Bad Habits

It’s no secret that smoking tobacco can significantly harm your health. When it comes to your oral health, it can increase the risk of gum disease and even oral cancer. To ensure your dental implants last as long as possible, it's best to avoid tobacco products entirely. Additionally, steer clear of habits like chewing on ice or using your teeth as tools. These can damage your implants and restorations, leading to costly repairs or replacements.

Protect Your Dental Implants

If you play contact sports or lead an active lifestyle, the last thing you want is to accidentally chip, crack, or damage your dental implants. Even nighttime teeth grinding or clenching can gradually wear down your restorations. To protect your implants, consider investing in custom mouthguards for sports or nightguards for bruxism. These can help ensure your implants stay safe and intact.

Schedule Regular Dental Checkups

In addition to maintaining your daily routine of brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash, it’s important to visit Dr. David for regular checkups and cleanings. These visits allow him to monitor your oral health and address any potential issues that could jeopardize your dental implants if left untreated. To ensure the best preventive care and long-term success, schedule appointments every six months.