Once your implants have fully healed and your restoration is placed on top, it’s going to become increasingly difficult for you to recognize it from the rest of your teeth. Chewing will be easier, you’ll smile with confidence, and your friends and family won’t know the difference! With that being said, that doesn’t mean you can forgo your routine at-home care and dental appointments.
Even with successful implantation, your gums and surrounding teeth will need to stay healthy. Consider these steps on caring for your new dental implants in Medford.
What At-Home Care Should Look Like
While dental implants placed by a professional have the potential to last anywhere from 30 years to a lifetime, you should still have the same oral care routine you did prior to having it placed. This includes brushing it twice a day with a fluoridated toothpaste and flossing around the area at least once a day.
Doing this keeps the gum tissue clean, which is necessary if you want the implant to have a stable foundation to stay healthy in. Flossing works to remove food debris which can become a breeding ground for bacteria if not removed regularly.
You can also benefit from using a mouth rinse to kill bacteria from the hard-to-reach areas around the implant. If you struggle with flossing, consider purchasing a floss pick or water flosser to remove food debris more easily. Electric toothbrushes also work to make brushing easier and even more exciting.
Why Routine Dental Visits Matter
Visiting your dentist regularly is a practice you should be doing, even if you didn’t have dental implants. Not only can a dentist examine your implant and natural teeth for issues, they can perform a cleaning that no at-home care can match. This involves scaling, which is a technique used to remove tartar from teeth, and reaching the areas of the mouth often missed during at-home care.
Furthermore, if the dentist determines that your at-home care is insufficient and that your natural teeth and implant are at risk, they can give you additional advice on how to improve it. Implants have a very high success rate, even 10 years after they were originally placed. However, there’s always a possibility that something could be wrong with the surrounding gum tissue, especially if you aren’t practicing proper care at home.
Habits to Avoid at All Costs
In many ways, dental implants are incredibly durable, even more so than natural teeth. The porcelain crown that sits on top can’t even develop decay in the same way as enamel. To avoid damaging your implant or causing failure later in life, avoid the following at all costs:
- Never use your teeth as a tool (i.e. opening packages, bottles, etc.)
- Do not chew on ice, which can easily damage the restoration.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco products of any kind. This will lead to gum disease and cause your implant to fail.
With this self-care tips in mind, your implants are bound to last for many decades! To learn more tips or keep up with your routine exams and cleanings, schedule an appointment today!
About the Author
Dr. Anthony Giamberardino is more than qualified to provide you a beautiful and customized implant-retained restoration once your dental implant has finished integrating with your jawbone. He continues his education through many institutions today in order to offer patients the best dental care possible. To learn more, you can contact him through his website.