While dental implant surgery can be an easy procedure for most patients, there are still many best practices to follow after the surgery is over. It is important to follow your dentists directions because immediately after surgery, your implant and oral health is at its most vulnerable. Your body is still healing and will need several weeks to fully integrate with the new tooth. And while the instructions from your dentist won’t be complicated or difficult to follow, some patients feel they want to take chances, which runs the risk of compromising their new smile. If improperly cared for, your new dental implants may fail and require extraction and the surgical procedure to happen all over again.

Mistake 1: Going Back to Bad Dental Habits
Are you known for grinding your teeth, chewing ice, or using your teeth to open bags or other items? These habits are likely a cause of your need for implants in the first place. When you go back to these bad habits immediately after implant surgery, you run the risk of cracking or breaking your implant. Other risks include damage to the sensitive jaw bone since it is still recovering from the surgery.

Mistake 2: Not Cleaning Their Teeth and Gums
While its true that dental implants are resistant to staining and cavities, that does not mean you can ignore routine hygiene at home. You still need to brush your teeth and gums, floss, and ensure there is no trapped food or debris in your mouth. When you ignore hygiene habits, you run the risk of developing gum disease or tooth decay for natural teeth. These conditions can spread throughout your mouth and cause a compromise to your implants.

Mistake 3: Avoiding Regular Dental Check Ups
It is important to continue following up with your dentist after receiving dental implants. These check ups may seem time-consuming and unnecessary to you, but they help ensure that your body is healing properly, the implant is secure, and you are not experiencing any complications. Patients who ignore their dental appointments typically experience complications prior to their treatment. This is because their complications are not caught early enough or treated.

Schedule Your Appointment
If you’re interested in dental implants or recently got them, Reach out to your local dentist, Dr. Amalfitano, in our office in Cadillac, MI to schedule your first appointment with us today!