Tips For Dental Implants Aftercare

April 07, 2022

  

The standard care for patients with missing teeth in the dental community is the use of dental implants. They have the capacity to provide the individual with the ideal smile they’re looking for while still preserving the “overlying teeth and jawbone”.  Find details on oral implants at https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-implants/.

Hundreds of thousands of patients annually look to their dental providers to perform this treatment since the popularity is continually increasing. The thing to remember is even with these artificial replacements, there is still oral hygiene that needs to be taken care of not just for these but also for the remaining natural teeth.

With the implant care, dentists can help patients avoid “peri-implantitis,” a problem for the soft and hard tissue surrounding the implants. The condition can eventually cause bone loss and ultimate implant loss. The ideal way to prevent implant failure is to follow aftercare directives.

Some of these might be a restricted diet for a few days of liquid or soft foods, especially nothing spicy or hot items. You should also avoid brushing anywhere close to the site. Let’s look at a few more tips following implant surgery.

Tips For Dental Implant Aftercare

Professional, trusted dentists who perform the dental implant surgery, like Nuvia Smiles Dental Implant Center, will provide instructions after the procedure for aftercare. It’s essential to follow these directives to avoid implant failure.

Long-term care is just as crucial to avoid conditions that can have the same result. Seeing the dentist regularly will help to keep the implants in good shape, plus keep care of the natural teeth that remain alongside these artificial elements.

Some of the aftercare directives you want to pay special attention to once the procedure is complete include:

1. Rinse with saltwater each day several times
2. Reduce swelling by using ice for the moth
3. Ibuprofen will assist with pain
4. Clean the site thoroughly but carefully
5. Avoid bruxism by wearing a nightguard

The dentist’s aftercare instructions are meant to help patients reduce the likelihood of implant failure with the opportunity for an extended lifespan becoming greater. Things to avoid with every effort:

● Smoking

Smoking should be something you quit for those who want the most extensive lifespan from their implants. That’s an easier said than done directive, but implant failure is substantially higher for those who engage in tobacco products than those who don’t.

Many variables contribute to that, including the risk of bacterial infection and surgery. The habit also reduces the likelihood of success of the bone grafts before the surgery.

There is more chance of gum disease when you smoke, another factor in failure with these artificial pieces. The soft tissue also sees diminished blood flow causing challenges in the healing process.

The salivary glands are at risk for damage due to smoking which dramatically increases the likelihood of gum disease as well, again causing bone loss and failure of the implants.

● Brush as regularly as always

As you should have always been brushing your natural teeth two times each day, that should continue with the prosthetics, or you can develop gum disease. As mentioned a few times, this is cause to experience failure.

Plus, not everyone gets an entire mouth of implants. You will likely still have some natural teeth that you need to be taking care of as usual, so brushing is a necessity, again, twice per day.

Still, even if you do get rid of all of your natural teeth, that doesn’t mean you do away with oral hygiene or dental maintenance with your practitioner. Bacteria and plaque will still accumulate, creating gum disease and odorous breath if not brushed. Brush, as usual, clean around the implants, and don’t forget your tongue.

● Think about how you chew

Many people don’t focus on the way they chew when eating, but it has the potential to affect the lifespan of implants. If you like particularly crunchy foods, have a habit of biting down hard, or handle your teeth in a tool-like fashion, your implants could be put at risk.

They are genuinely not that different from natural teeth, wear and tear can be harsh on them, and then they fail. Use teeth merely to eat, not for eating hard pieces of candy, breaking the ice, or tearing open a package.

● See the dentist every six months

Despite having dental implants, a professional dentist will still need to see you for regular visits as usual. Depending on your particular circumstances, it might be recommended that you see them every six months or annually.

There will still need to be a cleaning where the plaque that has accumulated around the artificial pieces will be removed as well as any tartar, plus the overall health will be assessed.

The general purpose of a checkup is to ensure the dentist can detect any defects or potential issues early and fix those before they turn into significant problems later.

The professional wants to avoid problems with gum disease, and for anyone with natural teeth still remaining, the provider wants to help to preserve these as long as possible. Go here to learn the potential risks with oral implants.

Final Thought

When engaging in dental hygiene, you want to make sure to use a very soft nylon brush to avoid scratching the surfaces of the implants. It’s also essential when attempting to extend the life of these products that go around the surrounding area of the implants with a water flosser.

These are user-friendly and strong enough to eliminate bacteria and plaque from areas that are tough to get to. Each time you brush, you should take the opportunity to use the flosser.

When you invest in a nice smile, it’s essential to take good care of it. Simply because the teeth are artificial doesn’t mean that you neglect every form of oral and dental maintenance, especially for those who might still have some natural teeth remaining.

If anything, you should want to take care of these pieces so much more because you know what it’s like to lose your teeth, and you don’t want them to fail. That means putting in the time and effort.

Comments