Dental Implant Aftercare – Ormond Beach, FL
How to Ensure Your New Smile Lasts
Many men and women choose implant treatment over more traditional tooth
replacement options due to the long-lasting nature of dental implants. While
crowns and bridges must be replaced periodically, dental implants can often
last for decades! Of course, if you want to maintain your dental implants
for as long as possible, you will have to take good care of them. But
don’t worry, our team at Brown & Nawrocki Restorative &
Cosmetic Dentistry can help! Below are some important tips for dental
implant care in Ormond Beach.
Prioritize At-Home Oral Hygiene
Prioritizing your oral hygiene routine after replacing missing teeth with dental implants is very important. Although implant-supported teeth cannot get cavities, bacteria can still attack nearby gums and teeth. Peri-implantitis, an infection of the tissues surrounding a dental implant, can eventually lead to severe bone deterioration and even implant failure.
To avoid peri-implantitis, tooth decay and other common dental issues, keep brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Be sure to brush for a full two minutes each time and clean the inside, outside and top of your teeth. In addition, be sure to floss at least once a day to remove bits of food debris. If you find it difficult to floss around your dental implant, try using a water flosser or an interdental brush instead.
Finally, incorporate an anti-bacterial mouthwash into your daily oral hygiene routine if you do not already use one. Rinsing your mouth daily with mouthwash can help kill any germs that avoid your toothbrush and floss.
Protect Your Dental Implants
No matter how gifted you are as an athlete, accidental collisions can occur when playing recreational sports. If an aggressive elbow or loose ball hits your mouth and damages your dental implant, it may need to be removed. To shield your smile from harm, we recommend wearing a protective mouthguard whenever you play basketball, football or other contact sports.
Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, can also damage both natural teeth and dental implants in Ormond Beach. Often caused by daily stress and anxiety, bruxism can lead to bone loss around a dental implant or even implant failure. If you know or suspect that you grind your teeth or clench your jaw at night, consider wearing a nightguard while you sleep.
Finally, avoid daily behavior that can easily damage both teeth and dental implants, such as chewing on ice or using your teeth to open packages.
Schedule Regular Checkups & Cleanings
The early warning signs of some oral health issues are often hard to notice at home in the mirror. That is why regular checkups and professional cleanings are key to maintaining a healthy smile. Biannual dental exams at our office give Dr. Nawrocki the opportunity to inspect your implants for any signs of trouble. Catching peri-implantitis and other implant-related problems early on is critical to be able to successfully treat them.
Has it been more than six months since your last checkup? Then do not wait to schedule your next appointment! You will be in good hands with Dr. Andrew Nawrocki, an experienced implant dentist in Ormond Beach and a proud Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantology.