5 Tips For Preventing Dental Implant Failure

28 November 2014
Categories: Dentist, Blog

If you are missing teeth or have teeth that have serious issues, then dental implants can be life-changing. They can allow you to feel confident and comfortable again, and they can be a great alternative to dentures. They are also designed to last for a very long time, but there is the possibility that they can fail if you aren't careful. To help prevent dental implant failure, remember these five tips. If you do, you can help prevent costly, uncomfortable and embarrassing issues with your implant.

1. Don't Grind Your Teeth

If you grind your teeth at night while you're sleeping, you might not think that there's much that you can do to stop it. However, there are dental guards that you can get from your dentist to help prevent it. Not only will this help you protect your dental implant, but it will also help you keep your other teeth in good condition as well.

2. Stop Smoking

If you need just one more good reason to quit smoking, consider your dental implant. Smoking can cause damage to your jaw over time. Since your jaw is used to hold your implant in place, this can actually cause your dental implant to shift or fall out completely. Plus, you probably already know the many other benefits of quitting smoking, both for your oral health and your overall health.

3. Be Careful When Eating

Biting down on something that is overly hard can cause your implant to crack. When eating hard foods, make sure that you eat them carefully. Cut foods into small pieces, and try to avoid putting all of the pressure on your implant when eating. Instead, try to distribute the work among several teeth to avoid putting too much pressure on just one of them.

4. Take Care of Your Other Teeth

Your dental implant relies on its surrounding teeth to help keep it in place. This means that it's critical to take care of your other teeth. Make sure that you floss carefully around your implant on a daily basis and that you brush your teeth and use mouthwash.

5. Use an Interdental Brush

Consider asking your dentist about an interdental brush, which is better for cleaning your implant abutments and for keeping your implant cleaner overall. By keeping your implant nice and clean, you can help reduce the risk of dental implant failure.

These are five important tips for taking good care of your dental implants. If you follow them, you can help prevent implant failure and can keep your implant in excellent condition.

Talk to a dental office like Crystal Dental Care for more information on how to take care of your dental implant.

About Me

When I was a child and teenager, I always left the dentist's office with the great feeling of having no cavities. When I went away to college out-of-state, I had to switch to a new dentist in my area. It seemed like I was suddenly getting cavities and started wonder what my new dentist "was doing wrong". When I spoke to my mother about it, she reminded me that the reason I never had cavities when I was living it home was because she always made sure my siblings and I brushed and flossed daily and didn't eat too much sugar. I then realized that my late-night study sessions drinking sugary soda and my suddenly bad brushing habits were the true causes of my cavities. I have since learned a lot more about dental health I am eager to share with anyone who needs the advice!