Never Take Your Healthy Teeth for Granted

Dental implants are an excellent treatment for those who have lost teeth because of an injury, infection, or cavity. The implant is usually fixed on the jawbone to act as the artificial tooth root. One of the primary benefits of dental implants is that they can stay for decades and will be as useful as natural teeth. With proper care and precaution, these implants can last even longer. If you want to increase the life span of your implants, there are measures you need to prioritize. Some of them are shared below.

Don't Ignore Your Dentist's Instructions

After installing the dental implants, your dentist will share several post-procedure guidelines to ensure you heal properly. For instance, you will be expected to only eat liquid or soft foods for several days. Other instructions may include taking pain medication, rinsing your mouth daily with salt water, wearing a nightguard, icing your mouth, and cleaning the implant area.

These guidelines not only promote fast healing but also prevent complications. So, if you follow them, your chances of successful implant treatment will improve.

Ensure You Chew Food Wisely

How you chew your food will determine the life span of your implant. If you like crunchy foods or bite hard objects or foods regularly, these actions will put the implant at risk. Implants may be strong, but that doesn't mean they are indestructible. Like natural teeth, they can wear out. Therefore, only use teeth and implants to eat food, not to break hard substances, open wrapped items, or chew ice.

Avoid Tobacco Products

After dental implant surgery, you should avoid using tobacco products. These products interfere with the healing process by increasing the risk of infections. After all, you want to give the implant a chance to fuse with the jaw bone, so you'll need to give the body enough support. 

Smoking also blocks or damages the salivary glands, leading to a dry mouth. In such a condition, bacteria will grow fast, and gum disease or tooth decay risk will increase. This habit also causes tooth loss, meaning it will affect the longevity of the implant and your natural teeth. Therefore, don't smoke or use any tobacco products.

Visit the Dentist as Scheduled

Routine visits to your dental team after getting implants is essential. After the procedure, you will need to visit more often, so the dental expert can monitor the healing process and ensure you don't have any infections. Once you heal, you will still need to show up for dental checkups and dental cleanings. The dentist will still need to check the implant's condition. 

Talk to your dentist to learn more about dental implants.