How To Protect Your Dental Implants

Dental implants take time and money to create and install. You want that implant to last as long as possible. The bad news is that it is possible to damage or destroy the implant if you're not careful, but the good news is that it is very easy to protect the implant.

Address New Stress

Any new stress in your life needs to be addressed quickly. If you start clenching your teeth or grinding them in your sleep, you could damage the implant. If you want, you can have your dentist make you a night guard for your mouth so that, should you find yourself reacting to stress that won't go away quickly, you can still protect your teeth and the implant.

Please Floss

The implant crown should sit right on top of your gum, but there is still the risk that you will end up getting food caught under the crown. For really bad cases, your dentist can remove the food, but in most cases, daily flossing will be enough. So, please floss after eating. You don't want the gum to get infected as that could lead to bone loss that destroys the implant.

Now's the Time for a Sports Mouthguard

If you play sports and have not been using a mouthguard, now is the time to get one. Your dentist can help make a customized one for you if you don't want a generic guard. Some sports don't lend themselves well to playing with a guard, like tennis, but baseball, soccer, and others can lead to mouth injury if you aren't careful. You don't want to ruin the implants after you've gone through the surgeries to get them, so please use a mouth guard if you are an athlete.

Check Your Habits

If you were previously in the habit of chewing on very hard items like hard candies, stop that habit immediately. Implant crowns are made of tough material, but even that material can't withstand the force of a mistimed bite on something that's too hard to chew. It's possible that this habit is related to subconscious stress, which you'll need to address. If it's not stress but just a habit, try a 30-day challenge to replace the habit with something more productive and less destructive.

Your dentist can answer any questions about caring for the implant, and remember to get your dental checkups. It's a lot easier to cure any mild ills before they become extensive.