How Do I Look After My Dental Implants?

Making the decision to have dental implants to fill the gaps in your mouth

is a fantastic way to restore harmony and health to your smile.  As soon as you look in the mirror you’ll know it was all worth it because you’ll have wonderfully perfect teeth flashing back at you…

But post-surgery you have time to appreciate your new smile and you might be asking yourself:

‘How do I look after my dental implants to ensure they last the distance?’

If you think that you’ll have to go out of your way to make sure they stay pleasantly perfect than you are happily mistaken. Having dental implant surgery initially sounds like a vigorous ordeal that will require equally vigorous upkeep but you’ll find that the upkeep of dental implants are as easy as looking after your natural teeth.

Your new dental implants require tender loving care, just like your natural teeth…

There is no need to give them preferential treatment over your other teeth, in fact, it is better to treat them as you would the rest of your natural teeth to ensure longevity. Excellent oral hygiene and digestive awareness are all you need to maintain your dental implants and natural teeth.

It is imperative to maintain a good oral hygiene as part of your morning ritual before work and before bed. It is easy to forget to look after your mouth even if you start to experience the early warning signs of neglect but if you want to look after your new dental implants and your natural teeth it is important to start a routine.

Brushing once in the morning and once before bed will ensure that your teeth are free from debris…

According to the Australian Dental Association (ADA) you should ‘brush your teeth at least twice a day’ and that generally suggests once in the morning and once at night. The action of brushing your teeth alleviates any debris in your mouth that can cause bacteria to grow and if you do not brush your teeth for an extended period of time you may experience the following:

• Plaque build up
• Yellow teeth
• Bad breath
• Irritated gums
• Bad taste in your mouth
• ‘furry’ texture to teeth

And it will cause your natural teeth to really stand out from your dental implants.

Flossing every day makes Dr Rammo say “That’s excellent oral hygiene!” …

Flossing is an essential element of good oral hygiene but is usually type-casted as an optional cleaning method but did you know that there are even parts of your teeth a toothbrush can’t get to?  That is why you need to floss your teeth! Modern dental floss has the benefit of sliding seamlessly in between your teeth and leaving your mouth feeling fresh and free of hard to reach food debris. Using floss in between your dental implants and natural teeth is easy and won’t affect their placement in your mouth.

If you need some motivation remember why you got your dental implants in the first place …

If you need some motivation in order to keep yourself adhering to a daily oral hygiene regiment it is a good idea to remind yourself why you got your dental implants in the first place. Whether it was an accident or a gradual tooth loss it will still be enough motivation to remember how important it is to look after you teeth.

At JustSMILE you are important to us, before, during and after surgery. No matter the issue, we want to help you keep your smile everlasting…

Dental implants are easy to maintain after a successful surgery and just because your surgery is finished does not mean you are no longer our concern, at Just Smile we care about our patients before, during and after any cosmetic or dentofacial surgery. Brushing and flossing every day with a proper toothbrush and toothpaste combined with daily consideration of eating habits and check-ups every six months will allow us to ensure that you can enjoy your dental implants and your new smile.

For more information on dental implants, good oral hygiene or to book an appointment at our dental practice, please do not hesitate to contact us.