Eat your favorite foods with implants designed like natural teeth! What to expect from modern tooth replacement

At El Paso Modern Dentistry, we are proud to be able to serve far-west Texas with the best treatment options that today’s dental science and technology have to offer. Our dentist, Dr. Enrique Darancou, is skilled in advanced treatments like dental implants for tooth replacement. Dr. Darancou has the onsite expertise and tools to handle every step in the implant process, including the surgical placement of this “artificial tooth root.” Our patients love that implant-supported prosthetics (crowns, bridges, dentures) look, feel, and function like natural, healthy teeth. What that means is there are no food restrictions. Unlike with conventional prosthetic teeth, such as removable dentures, go ahead and enjoy even the sticky, crunchy, or chewy foods that you savor! You don’t have to worry about breaking your denture or these “challenging” foods getting stubbornly stuck in components of your appliance. 

Remember: These teeth are not going anywhere! They are stabilized in the mouth by dental implants. Like natural tooth roots, the implants hold the prosthetic crown, bridge, or denture in place. Since the implants are made from materials designed to fuse with the surrounding bone in the jaw, patients have peace of mind that their teeth will not become dislodged or slip around. When replacement teeth are designed like natural tooth structure, patients should expect the most natural function when chewing food, speaking, and otherwise using their new teeth. 

With all of this being said, there are a couple of caveats. 

• First, we can advise on the best diet after implant placement. By following our recommendations regarding food and other ways to care for the treatment site, you are helping to ensure the successful healing or “osseointegration” of the implant to the bone in the jaw. 
• Second, tooth material (enamel) is the strongest substance of the body – stronger than skeletal bone – however, it is still vulnerable to damage. So, even those prosthetics that are made to mimic the structure of natural teeth perfectly are not impervious to breakage and other forms of wear and tear. 

Dr. Darancou will provide clear and thorough instructions on how to care for your mouth at every step of treatment, from the actual placement of the implant to the addition of the abutment (connector piece) and the restoration or prosthetic. Generally, when the implant is primarily underneath the gums, a soft or liquid diet may be recommended initially as the gums heal. We may also recommend avoiding nuts, crunchy chips, or other hard foods for a specific period when an abutment or temporary restoration (crown) has been placed to prevent early-stage implant failures. 

To avoid later-stage implant failures, we will want to see you regularly for exams and cleanings. Our team will advise on healthy habits and “tooth-friendly” foods, which help keep your implant-retained teeth in top shape. These behaviors and choices also aid in keeping the “peri-implantitis” away. While artificial teeth do not decay like natural ones, they are still threatened by conditions similar to gum disease and affect the tissue surrounding the implant. 

For more information on the benefits of dental implants for tooth replacement, contact El Paso Modern Dentistry! Our kind and talented team can be reached at (915) 581-4440.