Rewinding the Years: Dental Care Tips for Older Adults

Dental implants are a big investment, which means that patients should ask many questions before investing their money in this dental solution. Here are some of the most common questions that people have about dental implants, along with the solutions to each question.

Why Pay for Dental Implants?

The first question is about the benefits of dental implants over other treatment options. Well, for one, dental implants are one of the best long-lasting solutions for a missing tooth. With other replacement options, you may risk losing the apparatus (such as with partial dentures) or having the apparatus damage other teeth (such as with dental bridges). With a dental implant, the prosthetic tooth is designed to be fully self contained and permanent, meaning you shouldn't have to come back to the dentist at all. That's what you're paying for with a dental implant-- the freedom of being removed from hassle.

Does the Surgery Hurt?

Okay, dental implants are classified as an oral surgery. But the process is designed to be as risk free as possible. For one thing, your dentist can use a combination of local and general anesthesia to numb the pain of the operation and make you less conscious during the procedure. The process also occurs in several steps. The dental implant post is placed first, and then the prosthetic tooth is added onto the post later. You will receive antibiotics throughout the phases. The end result is that the procedure is relatively painless. The procedure is minimally painful, and you're protected from developing an infection by the multistage process. But you can still use over the counter painkillers to ease any aches and pains you have during the healing process.

What Kind of Care Is Needed?

Dental implant care is minimal, since you will be instructed to basically treat the implant like any other tooth once it has healed. There can be a bit of an adjustment, since you will need to be careful for the first few weeks while the tooth is still healing into place. But once your dentist evaluates the area and verifies that the implant has healed correctly, you can begin brushing and flossing it just like a normal tooth. Some people like to use interproximal brushes or water flossers to give extra care to the implant, but the general point is that there is little extra care needed and the implant material resists decay.