Implant Care & Maintenance Tips from Washington DC Dentists

Dental implants provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing way to replace lost or broken teeth. Dental implants in Washington, DC, fuse firmly to the jawbone for unmatched durability and long-lasting, natural-looking outcomes. Dental implants can restore full functioning and confidence with surgical placement and ongoing care.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are titanium prosthetic tooth roots surgically inserted into the mandible to replace lost teeth. This procedure, known as osseointegration, allows the titanium implant to connect with the jawbone. In addition to restoring speech and chewing function, dental implants help improve facial features by halting the loss of bone following tooth loss.

Implant Care & Maintenance Tips- 

Regular Oral Hygiene: Maintaining proper oral hygiene practices is crucial when caring for dental implants, just like with natural teeth. Using an antiseptic mouthwash, flossing once a day, and brushing twice a day will help prevent plaque and tartar buildup around implants. 

Routine Dental Check-Ups: Plan on seeing a dentist every six months to ensure that implants and the surrounding bone and tissue are in good condition. The dentist will look for any indications of problems such as loose implants or infections. 

PROFESSIONAL CLEANINGS: Tartar and plaque can still build up even with careful home maintenance. Schedule a professional cleaning with the dental hygienist twice a year to keep implants free of contamination. 

AVOID TOBACCO AND LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: Toxins from smoking can impede implant healing, encourage gum disease, and increase the risk of implant failure. Implant durability is enhanced by cutting back on alcohol use and quitting smoking.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES: Use a customized athletic mouthguard when playing high-impact sports to avoid injury. Chewing hard, sticky, or crunchy items should be done carefully to prevent damage to the implant and replacement teeth. 

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES: Eating a diet high in nutrients rather than sugar or acidity keeps teeth and bones robust enough to sustain implants. Exercise frequently and drink plenty of water to promote blood circulation, which speeds up the healing process. Long-term implant sites can be extended by preventing deterioration.

Benefits of Dental Implant Systems

Restores the ability to chew: The only method of replacing teeth that connect with the jawbone like natural tooth roots is dental implants. Because of this, implants can mimic the ability to chew just like natural teeth without worrying about slipping or shifting. 

Helps Keep the Jawbone from Shrinking: The underlying jawbone loses the stimulation it needs to maintain its shape and density when a tooth is gone. Dental implants function as a preservation mechanism against resorption by transmitting chewing forces to the jawbone like that of natural teeth. 

Preserve the health of the surrounding bone and gums: The titanium dental implant joins with neighboring bone cells through a process known as osseointegration, which also preserves the bulk of the jawbone. In addition to offering stability, this fusion process encourages the growth and regeneration of healthy bones. 

Helps keep adjacent (nearby) teeth stable: Neighboring teeth frequently tilt, drift, or supererupt to cover the space left by a lost tooth in the dental arch. A dental implant fixes the extracted tooth root and stops neighboring teeth from moving. It helps to maintain the stability of the repair process and the bite’s appropriate operation.

Conclusion

Dental implants provide a long-lasting and practical replacement for lost teeth. Implants resemble natural tooth roots by merging with the jawbone and restoring the ability to chew food when positioned and maintained correctly. Most significantly, implants keep face features intact by preventing bone loss following tooth extraction. Dental implants are becoming a more and more common choice for permanently replacing lost teeth because of their ability to boost self-confidence in a person’s smile. Contact New Columbia Dentistry in Washington, DC, for more information.