Everything You Need To Know About Caring For Dental Implants

Dental implant services are gaining in popularity across Perth, but it’s important to know how to prepare your mouth for them and how to care for them afterwards.

What are Dental Implants?

Dental implants are metal posts that are surgically positioned into the jawbone beneath your gums if your natural tooth has been extracted or is missing. Once these are safely in place, your dentist can use them to act as anchors for replacement teeth to restore the functionality and appearance of your smile.

Dental implants provide stable support for the new replacement teeth, because they fuse to the bone and act similarly to natural teeth. If you have dentures or bridges mounted to implants then you get peace of mind knowing that they won't move in your mouth or slip out suddenly, which could be a problem for some people when eating or speaking. This means that your replacement tooth will feel more natural than other bridges or dentures, and often are much more comfortable too.

How To Prepare For Dental Implants:

By maintaining a good standard of oral hygiene, your mouth will be a much more stable environment for your new dental implant. Your personal circumstances will help your dentist identify which choice of anaesthetic will work best for you, and this will affect what you may be able to eat and drink leading up to your procedure. You will be able to learn more about this from your dentist during the initial consultations or appointments before your dental implants treatment.

There are some circumstances where a dental implant may not be right for you. The implant requires enough bone to support the new tooth, but tooth loss can lead to the loss of bone in the jaw over time. To go ahead with the dental implants, your dentist would need for you to receive a bone graft. This may be your own bone, or the bone from a cadaver or a cow, among other options available.

How To Care For Dental Implants:

If you already maintain a good level of oral health then you shouldn’t have much to worry about - dental implants require much the same care of natural teeth. Cleaning is especially important after meals, and this can be easily accomplished by gently brushing with special attention paid to all sides of the implant.

Oral hygiene aids may include:

Small, soft, manual toothbrush or an electric brush

Dental floss

Low-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste

If you wish to know more about dental implants or you would like to see if they’re the right choice for you, arrange a consultation with your dentist. Your dentist can assess your unique situation and determine what the best course of treatment would be, and can explain to you all of your other possible choices to make sure that you’re making an educated decision. Dental implants are a great solution for many people across Perth, and most dental clinics are able to offer them to their patients among a range of dental and oral services.