Harwood Dental – How to take care of dental implants

Dental implants are a great replacement for your natural teeth, should you lose a tooth, or have one removed. Fitted permanently into your jaw and consisting of a root and a crown, a tooth implant will help you eat a variety of foods, speak more clearly and give you the confidence to smile widely again. Also, it won’t shift in your mouth or occasionally fall out unexpectedly, like traditional dentures have a habit of doing. We fit dental implants here, at our Bolton-based dental clinic.

One of the main things to remember when having an implant fitted is that you’ll need to follow the aftercare advice your dental surgeon provides. To place the tooth implant, your jaw will be opened and the titanium root inserted. Dissolvable stitches will be applied and the wound must be allowed to heal for several months before your permanent crown can be fitted. Here are our top tips for looking after your dental implants are fitted:

1. Following the procedure, you’ll need to keep the tissue around the dental implant clean, and ensure it stays pink and firm. Should you notice any changes, or feel an increase in discomfort, there’s a chance you could have an infection. If in any doubt, phone your dentist to make an appointment.
2. It’s important to keep brushing your teeth once you’ve had your tooth implant fitted, but you will need to get used to brushing the tooth implant too. You’ll need to be very gentle in the first few days following the procedure.
3. To avoid scratching the surface of the tooth implant, you might find a nylon interdental toothbrush is best and many dentists recommend that you don’t use toothpaste with a too high baking soda content. Always take the advice your dentist gives you.
4. Use unwaxed tape to floss and if you’re unsure of technique your dentist will be able to show you how to best apply it.
5. As tooth implant technology is constantly evolving, it’s best to ask your dentist for his or her recommendations on aftercare, although it stands to reason, that you should be careful not to knock the dental implant, especially in the days immediately following the procedure, or risk damaging it, by inserting cutlery into your mouth too roughly.
6. Your tooth implant may take between 3 and 6 months to heal completely. Upon examination of your mouth, your dentist will know whether or not it’s the right time to fit the permanent crown. Be patient and before you know it, you’ll have a dental implant that looks and feels like a natural tooth!

Contact Us

If you’ve lost a tooth and you’d like to talk about your options, why not come and have a consultation with out highly experienced dental implantologist, Jonathan Kennair. You’ll have your teeth examined here at our Bolton practice and find out everything you need to know about the dental implant process. Please get in touch with our friendly and professional team to book your consultation today. The sooner you get in touch with us following the loss of your tooth, the easier the dental implant process will potentially be.