Caring for an Elderly Parent With Special Dental Needs
Preparing For Dental Implants To Replace Missing Teeth
Joe Lawrence
If you have teeth missing in your mouth, it's possible that you are a good candidate for dental implants. As long as your general health is good and you are not a smoker, your dentist will consider dental implant technology to replace missing teeth with a synthetic tooth that appears real. You may need to clear up any gum problems that you have, or quit smoking to make sure the implant succeeds, to prepare yourself. If your jaw bone isn't sufficient, your dentist can also prepare your jaw with synthetic bone first so that there is a strong enough area to anchor the implant to. When you want permanent teeth to replace any spaces in your mouth, implants are the answer.
Quit Smoking If You Smoke
Smoking causes dry mouth and poor circulation in your gums. When you get dental implants, your gums need the ability to heal after the implant is embedded into the gum. Even the action of smoking causes the implant to move slightly and will greatly increase the chance of the implant failing.
Get Your Gums Healthy
If your gums are swollen or bleed when you brush your teeth, talk to your dentist about these issues before you get dental implants. Early gum disease can be treated, and you will be fine getting dental implants. When you have gum disease that can't be reversed, your dentist is unlikely to approve you for dental implant services.
Know What to Expect
Some dentists do a complete dental implant in one sitting, while others use a series of appointments to complete the process. Both methods work, but talk to your dentist so that you know what to expect. Once an implant is in your jaw, it takes a few months to correctly embed into your jaw. The crown can be placed on the implant at the same time you get the rod placed, or a few months later when the rod is embedded.
Dental implant services can give you the smile you are missing. Dental implants replace your missing teeth with natural looking teeth that don't require special treatment. When you are a smoker, you can't get dental implants until you quit smoking. If you have diabetes, you will need to have your blood sugar levels under control. As long as you are good health and you have the ability to heal, you are a good candidate for dental implant services.
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Caring for an elderly parent tends to be tough enough without the added stress of dealing with dental implants or dentures. But, the prospect is not the end of the world—there are many things you can do to ensure that your parent's dental health is not compromised without having to spend a lot of personal time doing the care yourself. Between working with the right dentist, hiring a service provider for part time work, and giving your parent the tools he or she needs to care for his or her own dental health at home, you'll find that dental health for your loved one isn't so tough or time consuming after all. Hopefully you are able to get the support and information you need right here.