Important Tips You Should Know about Dental Implant Care
Sep 01, 2020
Dental implants have become very popular in modern dentistry. People are getting excited about the idea of having a permanent tooth restoration solution. Rightfully so, dental implants have proven to be very effective in treating patients.
If you are looking to get a dental implant, however, there is more you must know. The implants require special care and a relatively long period for healing. Read on to learn this and much more about oral implants.
What Are Dental Implants?
They are titanium metal fixtures that are inserted in the jawbone of patients to replace any missing tooth. Usually, they involve a surgical procedure for which to install the metal fixture. The fixture is usually small, more like the size of a small screw. It is used exclusively for replacing the roots of teeth, which is different from other tooth replacement alternatives that replace the crown part only.
For the procedure to be complete and successful, it is a two-part treatment. Once the dental implant is placed in your jawbone, you need another procedure to place a dental crown to cover the metal fixture. In other cases, a partial denture or dental bridge is used in place of a dental crown.
Requirements For the Implantation Procedure
A Phoenix dentist will tell you that dental implant treatments are very different from the rest. You cannot walk into a dental facility and demand to have an implant restored, the same way you would a dental bridge or denture. With dental implants, there are underlying requirements that qualify you for the procedure, mainly because it is a surgical process. The requirements are:
- Healthy gums – your gum tissue is necessary for a successful treatment. Ideally, the gums will provide support to your dental implants after surgery, as is the case with a natural tooth. Therefore, any signs of infections will disqualify you from the treatment.
- Healthy bone tissue – the treatment relies on bone regeneration for proper healing and integration of the implant to your mouth. While the titanium metal gels well with natural bone tissue a healthy bone structure is required. It also plays a big role in holding the metal fixture in place.
How To Maintain Your Implant After Treatment
Maintenance is a crucial thing after any dental treatment, more so surgical ones. You need to care for your mouth intentionally, ensuring that healing is happening as should. Some of the areas you should attend to include:
- Take it easy – you need to be patient as you allow your mouth to heal. You require all the energy to recover, which is why you must take it easy. Be easy with the wound by allowing the clot to form. The clot is an indication that your body is commencing on the healing process. Avoid dislodging it at all costs. While at it, keep taking your pain meds, to ensure your pain is under control.
- Cleaning – proper oral hygiene equates to excellence. Besides, the last thing you want is to nurse and infection at the implantation site because of poor oral hygiene. The best cleaning routine should be guided by your dentist. Your dentist may recommend you not to brush soon, as your mouth may be too sensitive for typical oral hygiene. However, he/she may instruct on a way to clean your mouth as you allow healing to occur. Soon enough, you should resume regular oral hygiene for your entire mouth.
- Recovery diet – after such a surgery, you will need to watch everything you eat. Ideally, cool foods are better than hot ones. Besides, you will need ice cream to ice the area immediately after the treatment. Get on with soft foods for a while, including yogurts, juices, and to-go oatmeal. Eventually, you should be able to eat other foods, but take your time before you do.
- Routine checkups – the checks are necessary for your dentist to monitor the progress of your healing post-op. Your dentist will be in a position to check your wound for any infection or complications thereof. The checkups are also the best time for you to inquire about any concerns you may have, especially regarding what to eat.