This four-part article series provides a comprehensive FAQ guide to dental implants, what they are, how they work and the various options available to patients who have lost one, several or most of their teeth.

The international dental healthcare community regards dental implants as the best and most sophisticated solution to missing teeth, whether a patient has lost one, several or all of their natural teeth. In this four-part article series, Bridgeport dental implants specialists shall be addressing all the questions patients typically have about these ingenious teeth replacement devices.

“How long have dental implants been around for?”

Answer: Dental implant (root form) technology as we know it today was developed shortly after the discovery of osseointegration in 1951: the ability of bone tissue to biologically bond with titanium metal. However, the concept of replacing missing teeth with some kind of implant or substitute has been around for millennia! Ancient Egyptian mummies with teeth held in place using gold wiring have been unearthed. These were either real teeth (perhaps the ones they had lost in the first place) or were fabricated from gold, silver, ivory, precious stone, bone or seashell, depending upon the financial means of the individual. Other evidence of early dental implants includes:

• Ancient Romans used dental implants made from iron metal,
• Pre-Columbian skeleton was discovered with implants of semi-precious stones,
• Mayan woman’s skull discovered at a Honduras archaeological dig with seashell implants,
• In the Middle East, ivory was the preferred teeth replacement material.

As it was explained, dental implantology as we know it today has been around since the discovery of titanium’s ability to osseointegrate. The popularity of dental implants really took off in the 1980’s as oral surgeons and specialists worked hard at researching and developing more sophisticated methods, surgical protocols and implant technology.

What has remained the same over these many millions of years is our desire, as a species, to address the aesthetic concerns caused by missing teeth!

“What can I do to help promote the long-term success of my dental implants?”

Answer: There are many factors that play a pivotal role in the longevity of Bridgeport dental implants. Most of them are, either directly or indirectly, under your control:

• Good Oral Hygiene: Looking after your teeth with regular and thorough brushing and flossing is crucial for the maintenance of good oral health. If you don’t care for your dental implants properly, your risk of losing them as well as additional natural teeth becomes increased.

• Following Your Surgeon’s Post-Operative Instructions: The specialist who places your dental implants will explain to you how you need to look after your new teeth, especially while they’re healing. If you don’t pay attention to these instructions, you may very well compromise the healing process. Follow his or her dietary recommendations and stay away from contact sports or rough, strenuous exercises in the weeks following your surgery.

• Kick the Habit: Smoking or any form of tobacco-use impedes your mouth’s healing ability. Continuing this habit after having dental implants placed puts you at a much greater risk of implant failure. It also perpetuates and exacerbates the oral conditions (gum disease, tooth decay) that probably led to you losing teeth in the first place!

• Don’t Indulge Bad Lifestyle Habits: Heavy drinking, drug abuse, not getting enough sleep, poor hydration and a bad diet all affect your body’s ability to cope with trauma and heal successfully. Look after yourself well!

Stay Tuned for Part 2!

To read more frequently asked questions about getting new teeth with Bridgeport dental implants, stay tuned for the second installment of this four-part article series!