Costa Rica Dental Implants 101: Maintenance Tips To Keep Them As Bright & Shiny As Day 1
Dental implants might not be your original teeth, but they require the same level of care and maintenance as your old ones. While they are a permanent replacement for your missing pearly whites and are not really prone to decay, the surrounding tissue and gums should still be kept healthy. That means going back to the regular brushing, flossing, and professional check-ups and cleanings. If not maintained properly, dental implants can fail because of infection, impact, and inflammation.
The moment an implant heals and becomes one with your bone, it is there to stay for a long time. However, proper care and cleaning are the keys to making them last for the rest of your lifetime. Unlike natural teeth, which are attached to the bone via tiny fibers called ligaments, implants are fused in and do not allow any sort of movement. Thus, if it gets dislodged due to an infection or impact, the entire unit fails.
Dental implants, because of their promise of permanence, can be expensive. Here are four ways to take care of them to ensure that your smile and your investment stay solid.
- Regular cleanings
Depending on your general state of your oral health, cleanings can be scheduled every 3 months to between 6 to 9 months. Professional services are necessary to maintain your implants’ integrity because dentists have special tools that regular home cleaning practices cannot cover. If these nooks and crannies are neglected, they could lead to costly problems in the future or your implant’s eventual breakdown.
- Home care
This includes brushing at least three times a day and flossing at a minimum of once daily. You can also use an electric toothbrush and mouth rinses that have antibacterial properties to reinforce this habit.
- Protect against impact
Chewing hard foods, grinding, and clenching can lead to the premature loss of your dental implant. Thus, watch what you eat. If you engage in contact sports, you should also be extra careful.
- Protect against inflammation and infection
Plaque and oral bacteria need to be addressed immediately to prevent periodontal diseases. Taking these for granted can lead to the disintegration of the bone and tissue supporting your implant. Home care and regular dentist cleaning can help keep the bacteria in the mouth at healthy levels.
Taking care of your overall health is also important to ensuring that your dental implants are intact. For one, bone density is crucial to holding them up without failing. Underlying conditions like diabetes and heart disease, if not managed, can slow the healing process down and make you more susceptible to periodontal diseases. Smoking has the same ill effects, as well. If you find it difficult to quit, simply cutting back on your smokes in the weeks after the implant is installed will help with the healing and recovery process.
Needless to say, always seek the help of a professional when it comes to your oral health. Advance Dental Costa Rica specializes in the care of dental implants, amongst a range of other services to ensure you smile confidently every single time. Visit their official website at https://www.advancedentalcostarica.com to find out more.