Patients seeking comprehensive and effective tooth replacement that can last a lifetime can benefit from dental implants. These fixtures feature fixed prosthetic teeth that will fill gaps in your smile, improve oral functions, and prevent further oral health problems that can occur after tooth loss.
A dentist will determine if you qualify for this restorative dental solution when you schedule a consultation. But even after a successful implant procedure, you will need to care for your smile to get the most out of your treatment.
Without this care, implants could fail, requiring urgent removal by your dentist. Read on to find advice from your dentist to preserve your new dental implants and avoid the failure of these devices.
Tips to Avoid Failure of Dental Implants
Follow Aftercare Guidelines from Your Dentist
A dentist will help you pursue tooth replacement through implant dentistry once they have evaluated your oral health. You will need a strong and healthy jawbone that can sustain the anchors that support the prosthetic teeth. The dentist surgically places these titanium posts into the jaw. Once they heal over the course of three or more months, they attach the crown, bridge, or denture to these devices.
But this involves a multi-step process, each with its own aftercare advice from your dentist. After receiving the anchors of the implants, for instance, you will need to be gentle with your surgical sites as your recover. Even with the clearance from your dentist to go forward with your treatment, you should adhere to their guidelines to get the most from your new implants.
Though you will need to be careful with these surgical sites, you still must continue with thorough oral hygiene. Your dentist can tell you how to keep your smile clean without harming this dental work.
They will also give you pain management tips to minimize discomfort during this recovery. If you feel extreme pain or notice swelling or bleeding, this could mean that the implant is failing. In this case, call your dentist right away as they may need to remove the failing implant from your mouth.
Continue Healthy Oral Habits
As mentioned, your dentist will provide instructions for you to recover from dental implant surgery quickly and effectively. But you will need to continue good oral health habits on your own as well if you want to best prevent dental implant failure.
Dental implants will not require much extra maintenance from your usual dental care after the completion of this treatment. Some dentists might recommend special brushes or flossers to better clean your implants. But you should still stick to your proper oral hygiene routine.
This means brushing your teeth at least twice a day, flossing daily, and attending routine teeth cleanings with your dentist. Without good oral hygiene, you could contract gum disease or form cavities.
These dental problems can negatively impact your implants as well as your oral health. If you do notice concerns in your smile or signs of failing implants, do not hesitate to contact your dentist.