The maintenance of Dental Implants St Albans doesn’t need to be very complicated, but it’s important that if you are someone thinking about dental implants that you understand they do require good upkeep, or else you risk failure.

What are dental implants?

Dental implants are a world leading type of tooth replacement. They are unlike any other option on the market in that they are capable of lasting the patient their entire lifetime, if taken care of correctly. The system requires a surgical fitting procedure, which in some cases will involve a bone graft in order to give the anchor the support it needs from the jawbone.

The vast majority of dental implants are made from titanium as this is a substance found to naturally occur in the body. They come in two parts, the anchor which is fixed to the jawbone and the crown which is the false tooth which is screwed on to the anchor.

Unlike other forms of tooth replacement, dental implants are capable of stimulating the bone and helping the bone to naturally regenerate, which is excellent for those who have suffered bone deterioration due to tooth loss.

Dental implant upkeep

As mentioned the upkeep of your dental implants doesn’t need to be particularly complex, but it does need to be taken seriously. Patients far too often suffer dental implant failure due to poor hygiene. Unfortunately just because your teeth are no longer natural does not mean they aren’t at risk of the same infections and issues as natural teeth. This especially applies to keeping gums healthy.

Peri-implantitis

Peri-implantitis is the bacterial infection that occurs when plaque and tartar are left to build up around the gum line of the teeth. Just as with any disease, when this is left, the body will begin to send blood to the area in order to fight off any infections, which is why you’ll see red, swollen and even bleeding gums. This process if left untreated will result in the rejection of the implant.

Good oral hygiene

Good oral hygiene doesn’t need to be complex, you just need to commit to daily consistent cleaning.

Everyone should be cleaning their teeth at least twice a day, for at least two minutes per day. The most important thing is that you are paying really close attention to the gum line and not just brushing the surface of the tooth. You should be using circular motions alongside going back and forth, in order to dislodge debris and bacteria that has built up.

Flossing is a really very important part of any oral hygiene routine. If you want to maintain good healthy teeth and gums you need to make sure you’re committing to flossing every single day. Only floss will be able to get deep down into the gum line to remove the build-up.

Regular check-ups are really important to anyone wanting to keep on top of their oral hygiene too, only your dentist will be able to check whether or not you are experiencing any dangerous levels of plaque or tartar building up.

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