If you’re seeking a long-term, reliable solution for tooth loss, you might be considering dental implants. These are the only replacement teeth that are surgically placed in your jaw and eventually fuse with the bone, providing added strength and stability over alternative solutions, such as dentures and bridges.
But there’s still a chance your new teeth might fail if you don’t take the proper precautions. Continue reading to learn more about 3 lifestyle changes you can make to help support your new teeth and prevent potential problems!
Change #1: Floss More Frequently
You likely already know that brushing your teeth twice daily helps remove bacteria and residue buildup that contribute to issues, such as tooth decay and gum disease, that can potentially interfere with dental implant success.
However, if you’re not also flossing, you’re only removing about half the plaque from your teeth. Flossing is required to clean germs from between your teeth and below your gumline, which helps avoid peri-implantitis, a form of periodontal disease that is also the leading cause of failure. But please be careful not to press the string so deeply into the pocket of your restoration that you damage its protective seal.
Change #2: Enhance Vitamin D Levels
Unlike dentures and bridges, these prosthetics include a biocompatible rod, usually made from titanium or tooth-colored ceramic, that’s placed in your jaw. Then, it can take 3 to 6 months to recover, because your mouth must produce enough new bone to fuse with this post in a process called osseointegration. This is what makes this treatment more resilient and longer-lasting than others.
But if you are vitamin D deficient, your jaw might be too frail or you might not produce sufficient bone growth to fully encompass your dental implant, which can cause it to become destabilized or dislodged. Thankfully, improving your levels can be as simple as taking a 20-minute walk on a sunny day, which triggers your body to produce the daily recommended value of this essential ingredient. You can also incorporate more vitamin D rich foods, such as fatty fish, leafy greens, or fortified products, into your daily diet.
Change #3: Quit Smoking
Would you be surprised to learn that smokers are significantly more likely to experience dental implant failure? Cigarettes, vapes, and other tobacco products contain nicotine, which is not only addictive, but also functions as a vasoconstrictor. It suppresses your immune system while simultaneously reducing blood oxygen levels and flow, leaving your body unable to deliver essential nutrients or infection-fighting cells to your connective tissues to mend properly after your procedure.
As a result, many experts recommend that patients leave this habit behind before undergoing the implant procedure and then wait until they are fully recovered before resuming their habit, although quitting permanently is ideal.
Making these minor adjustments to your usual routines can significantly improve the likelihood of dental implant success!
Meet the Author
Dr. Ben Sutter has 20+ years of experience helping people build and maintain beautiful, healthy smiles. He earned his dental doctorate from the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, and today, offers a comprehensive menu of services using state-of-the-art technology for more comfortable, accurate outcomes. He partners with the best local experts for the implant surgery, then provides lifelike restorations customized to look and feel like your natural teeth. You can request an appointment on the website or by calling (541) 484-1955.