Having a dental implant is an excellent idea. You will no longer worry about chewing, talking, and smiling difficulties because implants provide the best solution for missing teeth. A dental implement also solves several oral health issues associated with cavities, bad bites, and tooth misalignment. While choosing an implant is a straightforward decision, do not forget the dos and don’ts that will keep your implants in functional condition for a long time. Your dentist will give you instructions to take home with you on how to best care for your implants. Here are some ways you can avoid common issues with dental implants:
Talk to a Professional Dentist About Your Desire to Have a Dental Implant
Choosing dental implants over other restorations is a challenging decision. You must be sure that implants are the right solution to the problems you have with your teeth. For example, if you are missing one or more of your teeth, a skilled dentist must consider the available treatment options, including dental bridges, and help narrow your choice to one. Thus, you must seek the help and advice of a proficient dentist to decide whether to have dental implants.
Your dentist must be familiar with available dental restoration procedures. They must understand in depth why and how dental implant installation is done. You must take the time to choose a competent dentist for quality advice. Consider how long the dentists have been offering dental services and their field of specialization. An experienced general dentist will have valuable skills and knowledge and will be less likely to make an oversight when providing the information you need to make an informed decision.
Consult with your regular dentist, as they understand your oral health better. Your past medical history is essential when making a significant treatment decision, like having dental implants. Your dentist will review your past treatment records and their observations from previous examinations to decide whether you are a good candidate for implants.
Give the Dentist Comprehensive Details of Your Past Medical Treatment
If it is your first visit to the dentist’s office, or if you choose another dentist and not your regular one, ensure they have detailed information about your past medical record. Remember that your past medical treatment can determine whether or not you are a good candidate for dental implants. Your medical history reveals oral and general health problems you have previously received treatment for, the medications you are currently taking, and what you are allergic to.
Dentists consider several factors before performing a dental implantation. They must ensure your oral health is good, including the health of your remaining teeth, gums, and jawbone. Since the treatment process is invasive, your dentist will need to put you under anesthesia. Before considering an alternative, they must consider whether or not you are allergic to anesthesia. Some of the medication you could be on could interact with the medicine you will receive during the implant installation process.
Reviewing our past medical treatment ensures minimal issues during implant installation and successful implantation. Thus, bring all your medical records during the consultation with your dentist. Let them know your worries or concerns about receiving dental implants. That way, they can do everything possible to ensure a successful treatment.
Follow Through With The AfterCare Instructions Your Dentist Gives
After the treatment, your dentist will give you aftercare instructions to follow at home when caring for your implants. You must take those instructions seriously. Caring for your implants helps avoid injuries, infections, and severe gum inflammation. It also keeps your implants solid and functional for a very long time.
For example, your dentist will urge you to maintain good oral habits to clean your teeth and implants. They will ask you to pay special attention to the implant area when brushing and flossing. Avoiding the implant while cleaning your teeth will create a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria and could result in cavities, infections, and severe oral issues like gum disease. Also, applying more pressure to your implants when brushing or flossing can damage or cause them to dislodge.
Some patients experience issues with their implants right after installation. Your dentist will advise you on what to eat or avoid eating to avoid some of the problems foreseen. For example, chewing hard or sticky foods like candy and caramel can weaken your implants, causing them to dislodge eventually. Starchy and sugary foods are also not generally suitable for your oral health. The bacteria in the mouth tend to feed on the remaining sugars, causing buildup and cavities.
Take your after-care instructions seriously and consult your dentist immediately after noticing a problem with your implants or teeth.
Avoid Smoking After Dental Implant Installation
Some habits, like smoking or consuming tobacco in any other way, are damaging to your oral and general health. Tobacco consumption causes serious oral health issues, like oral cancer. It can worsen oral problems and make some treatment procedures, like implants, unsuccessful. Your dentist will urge you to quit smoking or consuming tobacco in any other way for better oral health and general well-being.
Regular smoking is known to cause problems with blood circulation in the mouth. It means that the gums and bones will not receive adequate nutrients if you continue smoking. The nicotine in tobacco affects blood circulation, compromising tissue recovery after a dental restoration procedure like implant installation.
Also, cigarette fumes expose your gums to high temperatures, which weaken your gum tissues. That could cause your teeth to loosen up and eventually fall off. It could also cause the jawbone and nerves supporting your implant to weaken. You will constantly require adjustments to keep your implants functional, which is expensive and painful.
Remember that tar in nicotine discolors your natural teeth. It could also discolor your implant, giving you an unpleasant look that affects your smile and confidence. Tar also causes buildup on your teeth and gums, creating a breeding ground for dangerous bacteria.
Avoid Activities that Could Result in Injury
You must take time off from daily activities to recover after a dental implant installation. Then they can function well, just like your natural teeth. Though you can resume your daily chores after a few days of healing, you must avoid engaging in activities that could result in damaging injuries.
For example, if you play sports, you must take caution to protect your mouth and the implant from injury. Even a slight injury close to your mouth can weaken the muscles around the implant, which eventually weakens and dislodges it. Damage to the implant will also be excruciating.
If possible, avoid high-impact activities and sports, as they increase your risk of injury. For example, you could stop wrestling or boxing after dental implant installation. You can also wear a mouthguard when engaging in other sports.
Dental implants are expensive to install. The installation process is long and invasive. That differs from the treatment you want to go through every so often. Damaged implants come with swelling and a lot of pain. You cannot speak, eat, or even smile with damaged or dislodged implants. You must return to the dentist’s office for repairs or a fresh installation.
Go for Follow-up Appointments With Your Dentist
Your dentist will give you a follow-up appointment after dental implant installation. The appointment is mainly to check how well you have healed and whether your implants function as they should. You must honor these appointments and allow your dentist to examine the implants. They will also review your other teeth for issues that could affect the implants or cause you other oral problems.
If your dentist notices a problem with your implants during this follow-up appointment, they can quickly fix it before it worsens. Remember that you must go through a process to have fully functional dental implants. An ignored implant problem can result in damaged or completely dislodged implants, whose only solution is a fresh installation.
Tell your dentist about anything unusual you have experienced with your implant after installation. For example, if they fit well or seem loose, or if your teeth are painful or sensitive, Do not assume that any unusual feeling is normal and will pass away with time. Sometimes, problems with dental implants start with minor indications, which, when ignored, result in significant issues.
Your dentist will also examine your teeth's underlying structures to ensure they are storing enough to continue supporting the implants. Remember that the gums and jawbone must be healthy for your implants to function well for a long time. Also, some problems with implants are only easy to detect with a thorough examination by a skilled dentist.
Make the Right Choice of Implants You Want
When you visit your dentist’s office with missing or severely damaged teeth that require extraction, you will discuss your treatment options. Your dentist will recommend dental implants if they feel that implants will solve the problem you are experiencing and keep your teeth functional for years. Further, they will discuss the different types of dental implants available and guide you in choosing the right ones for your needs.
Your dentist cannot make the final decision for you. You must conduct in-depth research on your options and read reviews and people’s testimonies to make the final decision. That way, you will avoid making a regrettable mistake. Once you receive your ideal implants, you will work hard to keep them healthy, strong, and functional.
Typically, you have several dental implant options based on your needs and preferences. Some people select endosteal implants for their firm anchorage. However, the installation process is highly invasive since it involves drilling into your jawbone to install the implant. The advantage of these implants is that they are solid and well-anchored, just like your natural teeth.
Your other option is the subperiosteal implant that sits below the gum tissue. They never penetrate your jawbone, so the installation process will not be invasive. These are perfect for you if you have suffered massive bone loss or a condition that affects your bone density.
Once you choose what you want and understand the installation process, you will be physically and mentally ready to undergo the treatment.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Your dental implants can become perfect breeding grounds for bacteria-causing infections. If left there, they can quickly trap food particles, resulting in cavities and severe oral issues like gum disease. Your dentist will urge you to maintain good oral hygiene to enjoy strong and healthy teeth and gums for a very long time.
Good oral hygiene entails brushing and flossing your teeth daily. These activities remove any stuck foods from your teeth. Ensure you reach all areas in your mouth when brushing, including your teeth. You could brush your teeth after every meal or at least twice a day. Your dentist can also recommend using a mouthwash to rinse your mouth after every meal. They will tell you what more you could do at home to improve your oral hygiene.
Good oral hygiene also includes professional cleaning occasionally to remove any buildup on your teeth and gums that could result in cavities and gum disease. General dentists perform professional teeth cleaning in their offices. You can visit your dentist at least twice a year for regular checkups and cleanings to keep your teeth and mouth clean and free of disease-causing bacteria.
Find a Competent General Dentist Near Me
Dental implants work very well in areas where your natural teeth are missing. They replace the missing teeth, giving your mouth a fresh look and feeling and restoring its functionality. However, implants do not automatically work as they should. It takes a great deal of effort to enjoy functional implants for years.
Our dentists at Northridge Advanced Dentistry have excellent skills and experience with all types of dental implants. We offer quality installations and aftercare to ensure our patients enjoy their installations for the recommended period. We can install your implants and explain what you must do and what to avoid to maintain good oral health and keep them in good condition.
We are also available for regular checkups and every other dental need you or your family have in Northridge, CA. Call us at 818-701-3010 and let us help take care of your oral health issues and general well-being.
