The Simplicity of Homecare for Dental Implants
Dental implant technology is one of the greatest developments in dental care in the last half-century.
If you are unfortunate enough to lose a tooth (or multiple teeth), then you are lucky that you’re living in the age of modern dental implants.
Dental implants are metallic substitutes for missing teeth that are implanted (like the name indicates) into the bone where the tooth used to be – the bone and the metal fuse together over several weeks through a biological process called osseointegration.
New bone growth bonds to the surface of the implant, thereby anchoring it extremely securely.
Osseointegration is why dental implants are a good option for tooth replacement.
Maintenance for Dental Implants
Ultimately, after the healing process has run its course, you will care for your artificial tooth almost identically as for your natural teeth. That is one of the great advantages of modern implant technology.
When it comes to home care of your dental implants, the main things you want to remember are:
Gentleness
Cleanliness
The biggest threats to your dental implants are:
Physical disruption and infection
Your body will gradually adapt to and protect your dental implant as long as the natural processes are not disrupted physically as the bone and gums slowly grow into the new foreign object.
They need to be left alone, undisturbed for healing to be successful
What can be dangerous? If a stiff toothbrush, over aggressive flossing, a toothpick, a finger, nuts, or even a roasted corn chip pokes, prods, punctures, or separates the delicate, newly forming cellular bond between the implant and your bone or gums, it will cause pain, bleeding, separation of cells from implant, and provide an opportunity for bacterial exposure, infection, and possible failure of the implant.
After the implant and dental prosthetic have been installed and bonded fully with your body, then they should be relatively robust and easy to care for, as long as you continue to keep in mind the two main ideas of gentleness and cleanliness.
At Precision Dental, we will give you detailed instructions and training of oral homecare for your new implant so that you will experience the least discomfort and the speediest recovery.
Homecare of Successfully Healed Implants
Brush twice daily with a soft-bristle brush and low-abrasive toothpaste.
Floss gently with dental tape in shoeshine motion.
If recommended, use interdental brush, rubber tip, soft picks, and/or a water irrigation unit once or twice a day.
If inflammation occurs, use a non-alcohol, anti-microbial rinse and/or add it to water irrigation unit in 1:10 dilution.
Post-Surgical Homecare of Implants (first two weeks)
Drink only clear liquids; a soft diet is recommended for the first few days.
Do not use a straw (the sucking action may disrupt blood clotting at the site of the surgery).
Take all prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection.
Take prescribed pain medication as needed for pain.
Use an extra-soft toothbrush twice daily to clean pre-existing teeth or other implants. Do not brush the surgical incision area.
Do not use an ultrasonic or electric toothbrush for one to two weeks.
Clean between teeth once a day throughout the entire mouth, but not at the surgical site.
Avoid wearing the temporary crown, if possible, to facilitate the gum tissue healing (if the implant was not immediately loaded).
If recommended, use salt water rinses or non-alcohol, antimicrobial mouth rinse twice a day.
As you can see, homecare is fairly simple, but it does require being conscious of and delicate with the implant surgery site, especially in the first few days and weeks after the procedure.
Our goal is to restore a strong, beautiful, trouble-free tooth replacement that will give you confidence and peace of mind for decades to come.
Your overall health and happiness are our ultimate goals here at Precision Dental in Fortitude Valley. That is the guiding principle in everything we do.
We use the most modern technology available and employ the latest techniques when it comes to dental implants and aesthetic improvements. You will get the best care and the safest treatment possible.
Dental Health at Precision Dental!
At Precision Dental, we provide the finest and best ethical care, giving patients the chance to make fully informed decisions regarding their course of treatment.
The three fundamental principles that underlie our practice are:
Honesty
Patient comfort
Quality
To support these principles, we begin treatment by building strong relationships with our patients. We are open, honest, and non-biased. We accept no substandard materials, shortcuts, or unhappy surprises.
Patient comfort is another crucial aspect of our values that contribute to the dentist-patient relationship. At Precision Dental, we know the dental experience can be overwhelming for some individuals.
To alleviate these anxieties, we provide gentle, patient-oriented care that uses modern technologies, tools, and techniques.
Dr Bill Choi has over 15 years of experience and is registered with the Dental Board of Australia. He is a member of the Australian Dental Association, Australian Society of Implant Dentistry, and the Australian Association of Laser Dentistry.
Visit Precision Dental today!
Call your Fortitude Valley dentist today on (07) 3852 1160 or simply book your appointment online.
We are located at S13, HQ South Tower, 520 Wickham St in Fortitude Valley.
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