Dental Implant Aftercare

The care of your dental implants continues long after their placement.

Dental implants are a well respected and increasingly popular health innovation. For years, dentures or possibly a dental bridge, have been the only available options to replace missing teeth. Dental implants however, offer the patient a superior alternative.

Because they are placed into the jawbone, implants not only offer a strength and security unmatched by the alternatives, but also act to protect the bone in the jaw which would otherwise slowly deteriorate, potentially causing surrounding teeth to move out of position.

Whilst most of our implant patients from Bromley are able to have them placed without any prior procedure; for some, a bone graft may be necessary to build up the bone structure beforehand.

Aftercare

At the Smile Dental Practice, not only do we ensure that our implant dentists are continually trained in order to be up to date with the latest developments, but we also put a great deal of emphasis on ensuring that our patients are well educated in how to care for their newly placed implants too.

This is important as whilst dental implants are an excellent choice to replace a missing tooth, they do need appropriate aftercare. Under no circumstances, should it be thought that because the implant is artificial, no care is needed.

Peri-Implantitis

A recent report (1) highlighted this fact, noting the problem of peri-implantitis. Whilst this should not deter patients from having dental implants, it does emphasise the importance of looking after them.

The issue does not arise with the titanium implant itself but with the gums and subsequently the bone which holds the implant in place. If this deteriorates, it may no longer offer sufficient support for the implant and may cause it to become loose and eventually fall out.

Preventing this however, is relatively straightforward. Stopping smoking, or heavy drinking, plays a major part in this as both of these activities increase the risk of gum disease.

Other than that, it is important to clean and floss around the dental implant in the same way that you would your natural teeth.

This basic oral care, plus regular visits to our dental practice in Bromley for your implants to be checked, should be sufficient to ensure that our patients have many years with a healthy and strong dental implant that also looks and feels entirely natural.

If you have had a dental implant placed and are concerned about it, please call the Smile Dental Practice on 020 8462 2473.

1 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-32086134