One of the most essential elements of dental implant treatment is the period after the procedure when you go home and then spend the next weeks and months caring for your new dental implants. This often has many patients ask us a series of questions about the aftercare of their dental implants, which we are only too happy to answer.
The reason dentists from Dental O So Gentle want to make sure that every patient knows as much about the aftercare of their dental implants as possible is that this ensures that the chances of any issues occurring are all but eliminated. With that in mind, and to highlight some of the more common questions we get asked, here are those three common questions with their answers.
What Is The Best Way For Me To Care For My New Dental Implants?
The most obvious answer to this might seem to be that you should care for your dental implants the same way you cared for your teeth before, but that brings a significant problem to light. The reason people have dental implants is to replace missing teeth, and often, it is precisely because they did not care for their teeth before that has led to a situation where their unhealthy teeth were falling out.
So, for all patients, including those who have an excellent oral care regime, caring for dental implants should include the following:
- Regular Brushing, Especially After Meals And Before Going To Bed
- Flossing After Brushing
- Visually Check Your Dental Implants In The Mirror
- Have Regular Check-ups With Your Dentist
In addition, it is essential to report to your dental implant practitioner if you are experiencing any problems with your dental implants. We would also suggest that patients avoid any contact sports for at least a week or two after the procedure to minimise the risk of their mouth and, in particular, their dental implants being damaged due to an accidental blow to the face.
What Foods Can I Eat With My New Dental Implants?
The simple answer is that dental implants should allow you to eat any of your favourite foods, but we must add some caveats. Specifically, the days immediately after your procedure should not be ones where you crunch into apples and devour a rack of ribs. Instead, you should proceed sensibly and carefully with your diet and then build up to foods that might be considered more of a challenge regarding chewing them.
No doubt, anyone who had dentures before will be as keen as anyone to eat foods their dentures made almost impossible to eat; however, patience is needed. That patience will be rewarded when the day comes when you can safely chew a nice juicy steak or bite into crusty bread, knowing there is little chance of your dental implants being damaged.
Is There A Risk Of My Dental Implants Breaking?
Anything is at risk of breaking if it is misused or ill-treated, and that applies as much to dental implants as it does to anything. Accidents can happen, such as you being elbowed in the face whilst playing sports, or you could walk into an open door when not looking ahead when you are walking. There is also the slight chance that you bite into something challenging, and your dental implant succumbs to it.
It should be noted that it is scarce for the implant base, which is fused into your jawbone, to break, given that it is made from titanium. More likely, it is the ceramic artificial tooth that can crack or break. As such, it can usually be replaced with a minimum of fuss, pain, or inconvenience.