When consulting a dental implants specialist, many people ask: Do dental implants help prevent gum disease? In this article, we answer this question and discuss the advantages of dental implants and methods for preventing gum disease.

Do Dental Implants Help Prevent Gum Disease?

The leading cause of gum disease is bacteria that proliferate in plaque and tartar on and between your teeth. Replacing a missing tooth with a dental implant can help prevent gum disease by filling the empty socket and preventing plaque and tartar from accumulating in it.

That said, getting dental implants does not guarantee protection against gum disease, as plaque and tartar can still accumulate on your teeth and around the implants if your oral hygiene is insufficient. In fact, if you get gum disease around dental implants, it can lead to implant failure if left untreated and spread to the jawbone.

Other Methods of Gum Disease Prevention

As we mentioned before, replacing missing teeth with dental implants prevents plaque and tartar buildup in the missing tooth’s socket, reducing the risk of gum disease. However, to effectively prevent gum disease, other rules are essential to follow as well:

• Brush your teeth twice a day for two full minutes each time.
• Floss thoroughly every evening.
• Add a water flosser as the first step in your routine to further boost your oral hygiene. A water flosser is proven to be effective in preventing gum disease when used as an additional step to traditional flossing and brushing, but cannot replace them.
• Choose unabrasive fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride strengthens the enamel of your teeth, making them more resilient, and helps reduce bacterial growth in the mouth.
• Visit your dentist twice a year for professional cleanings and fluoride treatments, as some plaque buildup is likely to occur, especially in hard-to-reach areas in the mouth, even if your at-home oral hygiene is impeccable.

What Are Other Advantages of Replacing Missing Teeth with Implants?

Dental implants not only help with gum disease prevention, but can offer several other oral health benefits:

• Dental implants prevent bone resorption (jawbone density loss) and facial structure changes that can result from it.
• Implants can offer a superior bite force (up to 90% of natural bite force) compared with other dental restoration methods.
• Replacing a missing tooth with an implant prevents the neighboring teeth from shifting into the gap and changes the way teeth fit together.
• Maintaining good oral hygiene with dental implants is more straightforward than with other restoration appliances, such as dentures or dental bridges, which can require additional tools for cleaning.

Can You Have Dental Implants if You Already Have Gum Disease?

Getting dental implants if you have gum disease is possible; however, the condition has to be treated and controlled before the procedure. Otherwise, there is a high risk of surgery complications and implant failure.

When gum disease affects the jawbone and reduces its density, additional procedures may be required before implant surgery. The most common procedures for jawbone and gum tissue restoration are bone and gum grafting and guided tissue regeneration. They are typically performed about 6 months before the implant surgery, as this is the time needed for sufficient healing.

Get Dental Implants at LA Wilshire Perio

If you are missing your natural teeth and considering replacing them with dental implants, do not hesitate to make an appointment with an experienced dentist at LA Wilshire Perio. In our clinic, we use only high-quality materials and modern techniques to offer reliable results to our clients. We are looking forward to your visit.