Dental implants not only enhance the radiance of your smile but also significantly improve your self confidence, chewing, and so much more. Undoubtedly, they serve as a crucial solution for maintaining optimal oral health as well. Therefore, it is imperative to diligently maintain their care to guarantee their longevity, ensuring they consistently provide the solution you rely on for a lifetime of dental well-being.
Following the completion of your implant surgery, it is crucial to adhere to proper maintenance practices to uphold the integrity of your dental implants. Although detailed guidance on maintenance may have been provided prior to reading this blog, we offer comprehensive tips & steps below.
Caring for Dental Implants
Taking care of dental implants requires a few extra steps beyond caring for your natural teeth. But all of the steps involved in dental implant maintenance also benefit your oral health overall, potentially preventing the need for more implants down the line.
Here’s what you need to know about caring for dental implants.
Why Is Dental Implant Maintenance Important?
With the proper care, your dental implants can last a lifetime. These dental treatments are intended to be permanent solutions for missing teeth. But if you don’t maintain them correctly, you risk problems like:
- Mucositis/gum disease: Painful inflammation of the gums
- Peri-implantitis: A localized infection or inflammation near the implant site, which can lead to implant failure
- Breakdown of the jaw bone: Infection that leads the jawbone to reject the implant, causing it to become loose or wobbly and eventually fail
- Gum recession: Recession around the implant, exposing it to bacteria
Thankfully, preventing these issues is relatively easy as long as you maintain good oral hygiene.
Maintaining Good Oral Health
The most important dental implant maintenance involves the same steps as taking care of your natural teeth. Maintaining good oral health can keep your implants clean and prevent infections.
Follow these steps for good oral hygiene:
- Brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush the tops and all four sides of the teeth. Also, brush along the gum lines.
- Floss daily. Flossing removes food particles from around the implants. Your dentist may recommend a special type of dental floss designed for implants or a Waterpik water flosser.
- Rinse after you eat. Rinsing your mouth with water after every meal or snack prevents food from building up near the implant.
- Schedule dental checkups every six months. Twice-yearly checkups and cleanings can help your dentist identify issues early on and take steps to mitigate them. During a cleaning, your dentist can eliminate plaque and tartar build-up to prevent infections. If you are afraid of the dentist or have other barriers to regular cleanings, talk to your dentist about accommodations that could help you feel more comfortable.
Other Steps To Maintain Dental Implants
Taking a few additional steps can ensure that your dental implants stay in the best possible shape and last as long as you need them to.
- Avoid sticky or hard foods that could damage your dental implants. Hard chips, crusty bread, and ice, along with chewy candies and dried fruits, all may pose a hazard to your dental implants and are best to avoid altogether.
- Stop smoking. Smoking can lead to implant loss.
Avoid alcohol, which has a high sugar content. Your dentist will probably recommend avoiding alcohol altogether for at least six months after your implant surgery. But continuing to avoid this substance can help prevent tooth decay
Dental Arts of New Orleans: Your Dental Implant Experts
With thorough dental implant maintenance, you won’t need to worry about the health or longevity of your implants. Our implant experts at Dental Arts of New Orleans can help you maintain your implants long-term with twice-yearly checkups and thorough cleanings.
Schedule an appointment today by calling 504-645-5621. Then, check out our latest blog post to learn how long dental implants last and other information about taking care of your implants.
