Discover How You Impact the Success of Your Implant
Are you aware of the impact you can have on the success of your dental implants? After your procedure with Dr. Allain, it’s important to know how to care for your new smile. Follow this simple guide to ensure you properly maintain your beautiful, new dental implants.
Initial Post-Op Care
Following the first few days of your procedure, it’s best to take caution with some of the things you do that may affect your dental implant. Some tips to follow to help guarantee a quick and easy recovery include:
- Stick to a liquid or soft food diet. This will help you stay away from hard or sticky foods that get caught in the surgical site and allow for a smooth recovery.
- Rinse your mouth with salt water. You can do this two to three times a day or after eating to clean out your mouth and reduce inflammation.
- Don’t spit or use a straw. You want to avoid doing anything that will apply unwanted pressure on your implant site because it can impede its ability to heal.
- Stop drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. You don’t have to permanently cut these out from your lifestyle, but refrain from both for at least a week so you can heal properly and maintain good blow flow.
Long-Term Dental Implant Care
After you’ve recovered from the first couple of weeks post-surgery, learning about the long-term techniques to help maintain a successful implant is just as important as following the short-term tips.
Preserve Your Oral Care
Whether your smile has been repaired with just one dental implant or an entire set, taking care of your overall oral health is crucial for the success of your implant. Although the implant itself can’t get infected or decay, an infection in your gums can put them at a higher risk for failure.
Gum disease is one of the most common dental problems across America. When bacteria and food particles aren’t properly cleaned out from your mouth, they’ll begin to build up below your gum line and infect your tissue.
When the gums around a dental implant become infected, it will lead to peri-implantitis. This is a disease that causes bone loss which will ultimately lead to a loose implant.
It’s best to follow a thorough cleaning routine to ensure you’re maintaining good oral health and preventing infection. Brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash are all essential for the long-term success of your dental implants and oral health.
Find the Right Products for Implants
With dental implants, they’re easy to care for because your brushing and flossing routine is the same as it is with your natural teeth. However, there are some important factors to consider when choosing the best products to use, so be sure to follow these guidelines.
- Toothbrush — Use a soft-bristled brush that won’t irritate your gums or scratch your restoration.
- Toothpaste — Avoid teeth whitening or smoker toothpaste which contain harsh ingredients.
- Floss — Choose nylon coated floss or one that’s made specifically for dental implants.
- Mouthwash — Don’t use a mouthwash that contains alcohol because it can dry out your mouth and interrupt your healing process.
Visit Dr. Allain for Check-Ups
Even with dental implants, you’ll still need to come back to our Highland dental office for your biannual professional cleanings and oral exams. These appointments will allow Dr. Allain to check on your implants and ensure there aren’t any problems.
If you have further questions about your recovery or you think there may be a slight issue with one of your dental implants, call our office right away. It’s best to have Dr. Allain look at it and see if it needs to be repaired.