Information On Dental Implants And How To Care For Them

If you are going to be getting a dental implant, you want to learn all you can about what an implant means for you and how you can care for it properly. The more you understand about your dental implant and how to take care of it, the fewer chances there will be that you will have a problem with yours.

Implants are fused to bone

Your natural teeth are attached to ligaments, which give you a small amount of movement. While the amount your tooth moves may be so minimal you don't even notice it, the movement is enough to help your natural teeth bite and chew without putting an excessive amount of stress on your jawbone.

When you have a natural tooth replaced with an implant, the implant will be directly fused to the bone. This means the implant will not have any flexibility in it. It also means the implant is a strong, permanent solution for replacing a missing natural tooth.   

Caring for your implants

Since your implant has no flexibility, it is even more important for you to make sure you don't apply too much stress to it and this means only use it for eating. Do not open packages with your implant, use it to untie a tight knot, or for anything else you shouldn't use any of your teeth for.

Do not eat any hard foods such as hard candies or even ice. Biting down on hard foods can cause stress to the implant. Too much stress can either fracture the material the crown is made out of or cause the implant to break free from the bone.

Cleaning your implants

You want to clean the implant the same way you do your normal teeth. In this way, they are considered to be very maintenance free. You can use all the same dental products and follow your normal dental hygiene routine.

When to call your dentist

If you feel pain in the area of an implant after you have already had it long enough for the initial pain to go away, then you want to get in to see your dentist. Also, if you feel the implant shift or feel like it is getting loose. Blood coming from the area of the implant is another reason to get in to see the dentist right away. If you ever have any concerns, it's always best to get in have things checked out. Contact a dentist at Kenai Dental Clinic if you have any concerns.