Dental implants in Kennett Square are a reliable and long-lasting option for restoring your full smile. By gaining support from your jawbone, they can successfully withstand the mouth’s chewing forces, blend in seamlessly with your surrounding teeth, and stimulate your jawbone to prevent bone resorption.
Moreover, with proper care, implants can last a lifetime—and there are some fundamental practices you can enforce if you want to achieve that.
5 Long-Term Tips to Take Care of Your Dental Implants
1. Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene
Just like natural teeth, implants need to be kept clean to prevent infection. While the implant itself cannot suffer from tooth decay, enamel buildup around the area can cause gum disease, or peri-implantitis, which can eventually lead to implant failure and loss of bone in the area.
To prevent this, dentists recommend brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Use a low-abrasive toothpaste to avoid scratching the implant surface and creating tiny spaces where bacteria can accumulate.
2. Floss Daily
Peri-implantitis is the main cause of implant failure, so flossing is a crucial step in your daily routine.
Use implant-safe floss or interdental brushes. Implant-safe floss is specifically designed to clean around dental implants without damaging the implant, crown, or surrounding soft tissue.
It is soft and non-abrasive to avoid scratching the implant or irritating gums, and it lacks a sharp edge or thread that could cut tissue or fray around abutments. You can also consider a water flosser for easier access around implants and bridges.
3. Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Dental cleanings are a simple and short treatment, but they can make a huge difference to your oral health. During them, we’ll remove any plaque and tartar buildup, even from areas that your normal toothbrush can’t reach. By doing so, we can prevent gum disease and all the overall system consequences this can have for your health.
Moreover, routine professional care helps spot problems early and keeps implants in great condition. According to the ADA, professional cleanings every 3–6 months are best to ensure optimal oral health!
4. Avoid Hard or Sticky Foods
Even though implants are strong, they aren’t invincible. However, items like ice, pens, or hard candy can chip or even dislodge your crown, shortening the durability of your implants. Additionally, sticky foods like caramel can loosen crowns or get trapped around implants.
Moreover, using teeth as tools is completely prohibited.
5. Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol
Both smoking and excessive alcohol can negatively affect implant health. Smoking reduces blood flow to the gums, impairing healing and increasing the risk of implant failure. On the other hand, alcohol can irritate oral tissues and slow down recovery or integration.
Even after your implant has healed, smoking reduces your mouth’s saliva while increasing plaque buildup, which makes gum disease more common. Even light smokers have increased chances of implant failure, so take advantage of your new treatment to try to abandon this harmful habit!
Make Your Dental Implants in Kennett Square Last
Taking care of dental implants is crucial for maintaining longevity and keeping oral health in top shape. Besides good oral hygiene and avoiding processed foods, regular visits to C. Christian Franck, DDS are crucial to keeping your implant in top shape.
If you have any doubts about the best implant care habits, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!
