You just completed your dental implant procedure. You have a new, beautiful smile, now what? Caring for your dental implants starts the moment you leave the dentist office. Here are our top 5 tips to ensuring your dental implants last a lifetime:
- Follow the After-Care Instructions your Dental Implant Surgeon provides you: Follow the instructions your dentist provides and be sure to contact your surgeon should you have any questions or notice anything abnormal after surgery. (See What You Can Expect Following a Dental Implant Procedure?) Your dentist will also want to see you back to assess your healing.
- Use a Non-Abrasive Toothbrush: You want to use a soft (nylon) toothbrush that is gentle on your dental implants.
- Maintain Oral Hygiene: Plaque can easily build up around your dental implants, therefore, you will want to continue brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing at least once daily. You will also want to be sure to get regular cleanings every 6 months.
- Avoid Overly Hard/Sticky Foods: Try to avoid foods that are too hard on your implants such as super hard foods like hard candies, whole apples, carrots, etc.. Also, avoid overly sticky foods like caramel or taffy. Similarly, your dentist may also check to see how strong your bite is since dental implants don’t have a “shock absorbing system”. He/She may recommend a bite guard to wear at night.5
- Avoid Smoking/Alcohol: This is especially true during the 6 month healing phase.
As we shared in Why Dental Implants? Why Not Dentures?, “dental implants allow for a better quality of life-better physical and mental well-being. As long as you take care of them, dental implants can last up to 20 years.”2
If you are interested in dental implant surgery, please call 888.257.4025 to set up a consultation with Dr. Young. He has several office locations he works out of throughout Southeast Michigan.
References
- Why Dental Implants? Why Not Dentures? Advanced Dental Implant Services. Available Online 21 February 2021. Website: https://advanceddentalimplantservices.com/why-dental-implants-why-not-dentures/
- Dental Implants vs. Dentures. Oral-B. Available Online on 10 February 2020. Website: m/en-us/oral-health/life-stages/adults/implants-vs-dentures
- What You Can Expect Following a Dental Implant Procedure? Advanced Dental Implant Services. Available Online 21 February 2021. Website: https://advanceddentalimplantservices.com/what-you-can-expect-following-a-dental-implant-procedure/
- Belmont Dentistry. 7 TIPS ON HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR DENTAL IMPLANTS! Posted Feb 11, 2021. Available Online 21 February 2021. Website: https://www.belmontdentistry.com/7-tips-on-how-to-care-for-your-dental-implants/
- Fox, Sabina. Medically reviewed by Richard Hattaway DDS, Matthew Stewart DMD, Nicole McKenna DDS. Authority Dental. Dental implant aftercare instructions. What are the do’s and don’ts? Posted Dec. 14, 2020. Available Online 21 February 2021. Website: https://www.authoritydental.org/dental-implant-aftercare
