Your dental implants are an investment in your oral and overall health, but even despite an impressive 95 percent success rate, it is still possible for them to fail. Protect your smile (and your wallet) with these four important care tips that will help give your new restorations the best odds possible!
Don’t Smoke
If you smoked or used tobacco products prior to getting dental implants, chances are your dentist suggested you temporarily quit. Smoking can leave your mouth vulnerable to infection, slow the healing process, and even cause dry mouth, which can increase your risk of gum disease and dental implant failure. Thus, even if you only intended to stop for a short period of time, quitting for good is an even better way to ensure your dental implants have the best odds for survival going forward.
Wear a Mouthguard
An estimated 10 to 15 percent of adults grind their teeth. Known as bruxism, this can cause excessive tooth wear, chips, cracks, and jaw pain. When you have dental implants, though your teeth may not all be real, the dangers are the same. You can easily damage your crowns as well as loosen the posts, causing implant failure. Thus, if you grind your teeth, or if you play sports, speak to your dentist about a custom mouthguard that will protect your restorations from failure.
Maintain Your Oral Hygiene
Even if you have no remaining natural teeth, you still need to maintain excellent oral hygiene with dental implants. This means you should brush them twice a day, floss once a day, and visit your dentist every six months for your regular, biannual exam and cleaning. Failing to do so can cause a condition that is like gum disease called peri-implantitis, which can put you at an increased risk of dental implant failure.
Watch What You Eat
Finally, although your dental implants allow you to eat a full diet with no restrictions, there are still some things you should avoid using them for. Never use teeth to tear open packaging, bite fingernails, or crunch anything too hard like ice cubes and hard candies, as these can damage your crowns and increase your risk of dental implant failure.
Remember, your new smile took a lot of time and effort to create, so it’s natural to want it to last a lifetime. Don’t put your restorations at risk. Follow these four important guidelines to increase your odds of dental implant success!
About Dr. Bell
Dr. Kenneth Bell has earned a reputation for being a kind, caring, and skilled dentist who truly listens to his patients. He is proud to provide them with high quality oral health education, so that in addition to receiving impeccable service at his office, they can maintain their beautiful results at home. If you are experiencing any warning signs of dental implant failure, don’t wait for it to get worse. Call Bell Dental today for more information on dental implant salvage and let Dr. Bell help get your smile back on track. To schedule an appointment, please visit our website or call us today at 502-749-2355.