How to Make Dental Implants Last Longer

Even with major advancements in dental care, tooth loss is a pervasive issue that impacts millions of Americans. Tooth loss can occur for a variety of reasons, including trauma, gum disease, and tooth decay. One of the most effective tooth replacement options is dental implants. Below you will find helpful tips for how to make dental implants last longer.

Dental implants offer a long-lasting solution for replacing missing teeth, restoring both function and appearance. With proper care, they can serve as a permanent part of your smile and help maintain your overall oral health.

To ensure your dental implants last for many years—or even a lifetime—it’s essential to maintain good oral hygiene. Brushing and flossing daily, along with regular dental checkups, help protect the surrounding gum tissue and bone. Avoiding habits like smoking and grinding your teeth can also contribute to implant longevity.

By taking the right steps, you can enjoy a confident smile and the full benefits that dental implants provide for years to come.

Oral Hygiene Routine:

Whether you have dental implants or not, your oral hygiene routine is integral to your oral and overall health. This is because harmful plaque can build up and result in gum disease. Gum disease can impact both your gums and jawbone. This can have a negative impact on someone with a dental implant, as untreated gum disease can result in jawbone deterioration. This can result in dental implant failure so it’s important to maintain a consistent daily oral care routine and regularly visit the dentist. This includes brushing at least twice a day, flossing at least once a day, limiting sugary foods, and visiting the dentist every six months.

Smoking:

Research has shown that people who smoke have a lower success rate with dental implants. Smoking interferes with the blood flow to the impacted area. This can negatively impact the healing process necessary for the dental implant to stay implanted and in place. In addition, smoking also increases your risk for gum disease, which can also result in issues with your dental implants due to the risk of jaw bone deterioration.

Teeth Grinding

Grinding your teeth, either at night or when you are anxious during the day, can result in damage to your dental implant. Teeth grinding can fracture your dental implant, the porcelain crown, or loosen or fracture the screw holding everything together. Just like smoking, this can impact the healing process for those who opt for dental implants. If you grind your teeth, it’s important to let your dentist near Pasadena know so they can help you plan accordingly.

Issues with Your Jawbone:

Dental implants are anchored into your jawbone. If there’s not enough jawbone available to secure the implant in place, the dental implant can fail. For those who want dental implants and don’t have enough jawbone, there are options. Bone grafting or sinus lifting can be done to ensure that your dental implant stays in place.

Inexperienced Dental Provider:

If you are considering dental implants, finding a skilled dentist who is experienced in dental implants is necessary. A surgeon without the necessary experience can result in a variety of issues, including improper placement of the implants, tissue trauma during implant placement, or a poorly designed implant (to name just a few). Do your research in advance to ensure you have the best experience.

Signs of Implant Failure

Dental implants are a permanent tooth replacement option. However, if not taken care of properly issues can occur. Implant failure needs to be addressed immediately. Signs of implant failure include redness, swelling, bleeding, receding gums, pus, pain, and implant movement. The failure rate of dental implants is very low (less than 5%) so it’s important to find a skilled dentist for the procedure.

Dental Implants Near Pasadena

The team at Premier Dental Esthetics are skilled in dental implants and have helped countless patients restore their oral health. Contact their office today if you are considering dental implants near Pasadena!