Dental implants act as a popular replacement for missing teeth, and one of the reasons for this is because of how ‘natural’ they look. This means that when they’re placed inside of the mouth, they look like a standard, normal tooth. Prosthetic treatments are something that can damage smiling confidence if they don’t look good in the mouth.
This is where dental implants come in. They are an increasingly popular alternative to past treatments including bridges and crowns. Although, whilst wearing dental implants are important for patients to smile naturally, taking care of them is just as important. After all dental implant is a costly treatment. There’s no impact on how your mouth functions. You can continue to eat, chew and speak normally.
For a dental implant to be worth the cost, they need to be looked after. Let’s take a look at the aftercare for your dental implant to keep it strong and healthy.
Regular Appointments
Regular check-ups are very important for the health of your dental implant. They are best placed to determine the strength and health of it, and they’re also likely to offer recommendations of tips to keep your dental implant strong at home. The dentist can also clean areas around the implant that aren’t reachable with a soft-bristle brush. Schedule visits at the dentist every six months.
Keep Up Your Oral Hygiene
To prolong the success of your dental implant, keep up a strong oral routine comprising strong oral health habits. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day, avoid biting down on solids around the implant, keep the surface area around the dental implant clean, and avoid alcohol and tobacco. Treat your implant as you would with your natural teeth.
What Are You Eating?
As part of your diet, there are some important steps to take. First, start drinking plenty of clear fluids. Secondly, reduce the number of sugars and hard solids you eat, and thirdly, replace them with plant-based foods that contain calcium such as vegetables, fish, dairy and nuts. It is also recommended that if you’ve recently just had a dental implant fitted, that you adjust your diet by sticking to soft foods and drinking water until the dental implant settles. The food and drink you consume may also cause your implant to darken.
Reduce Swelling And Bleeding
After the dental implant procedure is complete, you will experience some bleeding. The dentist will provide a gauze pad to bite down on to stem the bleeding so a blood clot forms. To reduce swelling, place an ice pack on the side of your cheek at home ten minutes at a time. Swelling will calm down after a few days and the implant will become more settled. If the bleeding continues, contact your dentist immediately. Swelling is just as common when you have a wisdom tooth extracted.
Following aftercare for your dental implant, the implant will settle quickly so you can resume daily life activity without any pain. Ensure that you regularly clean your implant to improve its lifespan. Although, it is important to know that aftercare for your dental implant doesn’t require special maintenance. Simple steps described here should be followed so your implant is looked after. Regularly consult the dentist for advice and support to ensure your implant stays healthy for the long term.
Have you recently had treatment and are now seeking aftercare for your dental implant? Contact us at Garran Dental today and we can offer the tips you need to keep it strong and healthy for years. Contact us here now!