When you first get dental implants, you may think their success is out of your hands. Whether they properly restore your smile can seem like something that’s up to your dentist, treatment technology, etc. However, you’d be wrong; you can make your implant posts more likely to succeed with vitamin D. Your Washington dentist will even explain how that’s possible. To that end, here’s a primer on how vitamin D can help dental implants work well.
Dental Implants Work Through Fusion
To grasp vitamin D’s positive effects on dental implants, you must first know how implants work. The basic facts about the latter provide context for the former.
You see, dental implants don’t sit on your gums like other restorations do. Once these posts are placed in your jaw’s empty sockets, they fuse with your jaw’s bone tissue. This process – osseointegration – ensures the implants become permanent and secure parts of your mouth. As a result, the posts should have little to no risk of slipping or falling out.
Vitamin D’s Effects on Dental Implants
Vitamin D has two effects that make dental implants more successful. These are:
Smoother Implant Fusion
It turns out vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, a mineral that promotes bone growth in your jaw. The nutrient thus makes your jawbone stronger and denser over time. In doing so, it makes your final dental implants more likely to fuse with your jaw properly.
Stronger Immune System
Aside from its calcium-related effect, vitamin D also strengthens your immune system. This boost helps your body fight infections like gum disease, which can cause implant failure. It follows that getting enough vitamin D makes infected gum tissues less likely for you.
How Can You Get More Vitamin D?
For vitamin D to benefit your implants, you’ll need to get plenty of it. The good news is that several methods exist for doing so.
For the first approach, you’d consume certain foods or supplements. An example would be adding more beef liver, fatty fish, and fortified dairy to your diet; these meal items have plenty of vitamin D. Vetted supplements are also available in most supermarkets and pharmacies. If possible, you could get ones that offer vitamin D in 600-800 international units per capsule.
The second approach is to expose yourself to more sunlight. Doing so would cause your body to absorb ultraviolet rays, which would prompt your body to produce vitamin D. Given that fact, you may want to try outdoor tanning to ensure your implants’ success. A good start would be getting outside for twenty minutes daily.
If you want vitamin D to help your dental implants, use the tips above. They’ll keep your replacement teeth strong for many years to come!
About the Practice
Aesthetic & Family Dentistry of Washington is based in Washington, DC. Led by four outstanding dentists, our practice aims to give each patient the ideal dental experience. That means we tailor our preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services to your smile, thus ensuring the best possible results. You and your family can trust our team to make your grins thrive! For more details or to book a visit, please contact us on our website or by phone at (202)-364-8989.