Getting dental implants in New York City is a big deal. Not only does it mean replacing your missing teeth and restoring your smile, it includes oral surgery and is a time-consuming process. While most New York City residents who get dental implants are happy with their results, they will likely also agree that they don’t want their implants to break or fail and to have to go through the dental implants process again. If you have dental implants, or are thinking about getting them from a New York City periodontist like Dr. Kissel, continue reading to find out how you can prevent yourself from damaging your dental implants once they are inserted.
Protect Your Implants from Breaking
When you get dental implants in New York City, you can rest assured that your implants will be natural looking and durable. But, we all know that even strong teeth can sometimes break. While it’s hard to protect oneself from a freak accident that may cause implants to break, there are certain things you can do to protect your dental implants.
First, if you are playing contact sports, make sure to wear a mouth guard. Much like a mouth guard protects your natural teeth, it will protect your dental implants, too. Second, if your grind your teeth at night, take the necessary steps to stop. While grinding your teeth can be sub-conscious and therefore a difficult habit to break, the telltale signs of sore jaws in the morning will tell you if you’ve developed this bad habit. If you’re grinding your teeth at night, talk to New York City’s Dr. Kissel about getting an occlusal appliance, an oral device that you wear to protect your natural teeth and dental implants.
Avoid Peri-implantitis to Prevent Dental Implant Failure
One of the most common ways that dental implants are damaged is developing conditions that lead to dental implant failure – when a dental implant becomes loose and falls out, or is so loose that it needs to be removed. To project your dental implants from peri-implantitis, follow these directions:
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Don’t Smoke.
Smoking causes your blood vessels to constrict – even those in your mouth. Constricted oral blood vessels can make it harder for your jawbone to grow, making dental implant failure more likely.
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Control Your Diabetes.
It’s a well-known fact that people with diabetes are more susceptible to infection and that they heal more slowly than their non-diabetic counterparts. If you have dental implants and you’re a diabetic, make sure to follow your diabetic treatment plan carefully to avoid developing an oral infection that can lead to dental implants failure.
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Practice Proper Oral Hygiene.
Poor dental hygiene leads to bacteria growth, which can lead to infection, including peri-implantitis. Even if you have an entire mouth full of dental implants, you will still need to brush your teeth twice a day and floss once daily. Practicing proper oral hygiene isn’t just good for your remaining teeth and your dental implants, it also helps protect your gums. Thin gums that expose the underlying jawbone are also prone to infection, peri-implantitis and dental implant failure.
Learning More About Preventing Implant Damage
If you’re considering getting dental implants, the best way to find out how to protect them is to ask Dr. Kissel directly yourself. During a consultation with Dr. Kissel, he will perform a complete oral examination, explain the dental implant process and answer any questions that you have.
To learn more about protecting dental implants from breaking, schedule a consultation today with Dr. Kissel at his New York City office at (212) 702-9088.
