Premature tooth loss can devastate a person’s smile and negatively affect oral health. That is why it’s so important for dental patients to seek prompt treatment for tooth loss; restorative treatment has aesthetic as well as structural benefits.

Today, our Saint Louis dental implant dentists are answering some commonly asked questions about dental implant replacement teeth. Keep reading to learn more!

Q: How do dental implants stay in place?

A: While dentures and bridges sit on top of the patient’s gum tissue, a dental implant is actually anchored in the patient’s jawbone with a titanium screw. Essentially, the screw replaces the missing natural tooth root. Once the implant is anchored, it stays in place permanently. 

Q: What does it feel like to have a dental implant?

A: Once your dental implant is in place, and the insertion site has healed, your dental implant won’t really feel any different than your natural teeth. You’ll be able to eat and drink normally, as well as clean your smile by brushing, flossing, and keeping up with professional cleanings. Basically, dental implants fit in seamlessly with the patient’s existing smile. 

Q: How do I begin dental implant treatment?

A: The first step is to schedule a consultation with our dental team. This assessment allows us to evaluate your smile to determine whether you’re a good candidate for dental implants. Some dental patients need to undergo bone grafting to build up the jawbone tissue prior to having their titanium implant roots inserted. Our dental team will let you know if there are any oral health issues that need to be addressed before you undergo dental implant treatment.

If you’re battling tooth loss, now is the time to seek treatment and rebuild your smile. Please do not let this oral health issue persist unaddressed, as this puts you at risk of developing a host of related oral health issues down the road. Give our Saint Louis dental implant dentists a call to learn more and to schedule a personal consultation!

Cosmetic dentistry treatment can make a huge difference to how you feel about your smile. Some patients just need to make a few simple tweaks in order to achieve their desired results, while others are looking to totally transform their smiles. No matter what the current state of your smile, and your ultimate dental goals, it’s important to spend the time researching your options, so that you end up with results that are personalized to fit you. That’s where our Saint Louis cosmetic dentists come in!

Perhaps the first thing to consider is your desired treatment timeline. If you are trying to achieve aesthetic results in time for a special event, like a wedding or a reunion, this may dictate available treatments. When you meet with our dental team, let us know if you have a specific treatment timeline in mind; we’ll direct you toward the aesthetic options that deliver results quickly! 

Our dentists will help you better understand which treatments will meet all of your dental needs effectively and efficiently. For example, if you simply want to whiten your smile, then professional dental whitening may be appropriate for you. If, however, you want to whiten your teeth while closing gaps between your teeth, dental veneers may be a better fit.

It’s also important to consider what type of post-treatment maintenance you’re comfortable with. Professional whitening treatments need to be repeated on a regular basis in order to maintain results. Alternatively, dental bonding and veneers are naturally stain resistant, so they will look bright and fresh for years to come.

If the concept of aesthetic dentistry seems daunting at the moment, don’t worry! Our Saint Louis cosmetic dentists are here to give you all of the information that you need, so that you can make an informed and thoughtful treatment decision. Please feel free to give our office a call to contact our team, and schedule a personal consultation!

If you are already brushing and flossing your teeth, and keeping up with your regular routine of professional cleanings, but you’re still looking to improve your oral health, then it might be time to take a look at your diet. Although we may not realize it, everything that we eat and drink can affect our smiles. Keep reading to learn more from our Saint Louis dentists.

The key to optimizing your oral health through diet is to limit harmful substances, and load up on health-boosting alternatives.

Sugar is one of the most detrimental substances when it comes to oral health. The bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease, and bad breath actually feed on sugar. So, when you reach for that soda or candy bar, you’re giving harmful oral bacteria more fuel to grow and multiply.

Acidic substances are likewise potentially problematic. When dental enamel is exposed to acid, it becomes temporarily weakened. During this period of time, the enamel can become damaged, or thin. Enamel remains weakened for about twenty to thirty minutes after you finish eating or drinking; during this time try not to brush your teeth, as the bristles may be too abrasive.

Drinking plenty of water, and rinsing your mouth with water after exposing your teeth to these substances, can help to minimize the damage that sugars and acids can do. Rinsing your mouth minimizes the amount of time that sugar/acid is allowed to sit on your enamel. And, when you drink water, you jump-start saliva production in your mouth. Because saliva helps to neutralize bacteria and re-mineralize dental enamel, it’s important that you stay well hydrated.

Keep these things in mind when you’re eating and drinking each day; you may be surprised at how impactful making a few simple tweaks can be.

To learn more about how foods and drinks affect oral health, or to schedule a personal consultation with our Saint Louis dentists, please call or office! You can also use the Contact Us page on our website to submit a question for our team, and we’ll get back to you promptly.