Dental Implants Care and Maintenance

Thanks to the flexible payment plans, dental implants are now within reach of many patients. But before running to the dentist, consider the pros and cons of the procedure.

Pros

Dental implants restore function and appearance. You can eat your favorite foods without the inconveniences that come with removable dentures. Since the titanium implant is permanently embedded in the bone, you don’t need to remove your artificial teeth for cleaning. Dental implants can also last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance, unlike dentures that need to be replaced eventually.

Cons

Good candidates for conventional implant placement are those with good jawbone volume and quality. Patients with thin bone usually need bone grafting, particularly if they are having multiple teeth replaced. You must also be in good overall health. In general, any patient who can undergo routine dental extraction can undergo multi-stage implant surgery.

Cleaning Implant-Supported Crowns or Dentures

Clean your artificial teeth just like you would your natural teeth, but pay extra attention to the area around the implant and near the gum line. Daily brushing and flossing are important to prevent peri-implant disease like gum inflammation and advanced gum disease. Poor oral hygiene can also lead to infection that may cause implant failure. That is, the bone supporting the implant may lose density and the implant may fall off. Untreated infection can also spread to neighboring teeth and cause tooth loss.

If you’re having trouble cleaning your implants with regular toothbrush and dental floss, use an electric/sonic toothbrush and an oral irrigator for flossing.

Dental implants are great teeth replacement options. Proper care and maintenance ensures that you’ll have functional artificial teeth for a long time. For more dental implant care tips, see Santa Cruz implant dentist Dr. Matiasevich. You can also call 831-440-7577 to make an appointment.