Many are the benefits of having dental implants, for they provide fixed teeth, self-esteem and masticatory comfort. However, implants can suffer serious middle-term and long-term problems if the patient doesn’t follow some maintenance steps after a dental implant.
The main problems with dental implants are chronic diseases of the gums and the surrounding teeth. These infections tend to be painless, whereby the patients aren’t aware of their existence. The main cause of these infections is the bacteria that inhabit the mouth and that accumulate inside the gums that surround the implant. Over time, these bacteria liberate toxins that destroy the bone that holds the implant in place, provoking its failure and loss.
To avoid this problem, the following steps for the care of dental implants must be followed:
1. Look for specialists in implantology in dental implant clinics in Palma with solid training, experience and reputation. The surgical intervention must end with solid results: gum and bone around resistant implants that help defend against the toxins of the bacteria. Likewise, you should perform the necessary postoperative care steps for your dental implants by using soft toothbrushes that can be used throughout the 24 hours of intervention, chlorhexidine mouthwashes and a soft diet.
2. Perform the oral hygiene steps three times a day using manual or electric toothbrushes, interdental brushes or dental floss and mouthwash. The artificial teeth made by the dentist must allow you to comfortably use all these tools.
3. Post-dental implant care must include between 1 and 4 sessions of yearly professional maintenance to disinfect your implants and prevent the bacteria from destroying the bone that surrounds them.
4. Avoid tobacco; it has been proven that it causes you to have between 4 and 6 times more chances of losing the bone surrounding the implants.
5. If you are a bruxism patient who grinds and clenches your teeth, and you want to know how to take care of the dental prosthesis that keeps the implants in place, you should use an occlusal splint at night to control and diminish the pressure exerted by clenching your dental implants, in order to avoid overloading the prosthesis and the implants.
We hope these tips on how to take care of your dental implants helped increase your knowledge and avoid future complications.