If you have a missing tooth in your mouth, then you may feel stressed about the lack of dental function as well as the appearance of the missing tooth. This may mean that you want to replace the tooth as soon as possible. If your tooth has recently been pulled or lost, then an oral surgeon can typically place a dental implant relatively quickly. The tooth socket will likely still contain a great deal of strong bone matter so the implant root can be secured in the jaw. Dental implant procedures can take some time. On average, it will take between about three to nine months to go through the preparation, surgery, and healing process. Most people find that the process is worth it since success rates are high. The most important part of the implantation is completed by you at home, and this is the period of healing after surgery is completed. In many cases, healing can be assisted with proper nutrition. Keep reading to learn about the types of foods that are needed in your diet to help encourage good bone density around your dental implant and which ones should be avoided.
Foods For Good Bone Density
Bone healing will need to occur over the course of several months after dental implantation. As the bone heals, something called remodeling takes place. Remodeling is where the bone around the implant will release old and damaged bone cells, prepare for the creation of new cells, and then form the cells. As remodeling occurs and new bone cells build up around your dental implant, essential nutrients are pulled from the body to create new tissues. Depending on the types of foods you eat, the bone will be either strong and dense or weak and porous. Strong and dense bone is required for the implant root to sit in the jaw without shifting during and after the healing process.
Calcium and vitamin D are needed to create new bone cells. However, there are also a variety of other nutrients that you need to make sure that bone cells are packed tightly together around the implant root. Vitamin K is one of these nutrients and it assists the body in proper mineralization. Specifically, the vitamin makes sure the body pulls the right combination of minerals into the bones to encourage strength. Make sure to eat foods like brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, broccoli, and prunes to consume vitamin K.
Zinc makes sure that the bones are actively rebuilding around the dental implant in a timely manner, and this helps minerals to stick to one another strongly to create thick bone. Foods high in zinc include beans, spinach, and brown rice. Also, foods that contain some magnesium and vitamin A will encourage healthy and dense bone formation.
Foods And Nutrients The Reduce Bone Density
Following a healthy diet that encourages bone density also means avoiding foods that may thin out the bones during the healing process. If you eat a great deal of meat, then you may want to reduce your consumption for several months. Protein is the building block of all tissues and cells, and this includes the bone. However, your body will produce sulfate byproducts when you eat meat that can force the bones to release calcium into the blood. This can actually cause the jaw to thin where it has already started to heal around your dental implant.
There are a variety of other nutrients and substances that will also cause the bones to release calcium into the blood. Caffeine, sodium, alcohol, and wheat bran are a few examples. Make sure to avoid any foods and beverages that contain these things. Oxalates can cause calcium release as well. Foods like rhubarb, beets, nut butters, nuts, and potato chips contain oxalates, so avoid these foods.
For more information, speak with a dentist at a clinic like Oral Surgery Center.
