Patients sometimes become a bit over-excited with the (not at all accurate) idea that they can stop taking care of their smiles if they have replaced their teeth with implants. We encourage you to think of your dental implants and their restorations as your natural teeth, so you don’t make any assumptions along the way that may be to your detriment. Fortunately, by providing your smile excellent care, you can continue to avoid oral illnesses like gum disease through optimal preventive hygiene.
Yes, You Can Get Gum Disease With Implants
Don’t be fooled into thinking plaque is no longer a problem since your tooth and its roots are composed of artificial material. True, your days of worrying about tooth decay are limited only to any natural teeth remaining in your smile. However, potential gum disease concerns will always remain because that tissue is living and needs to stay healthy to support your implants.
As for gum illness with dental implants, we call this peri-implantitis. The bacteria that leads to gum inflammation and eventual infection surrounding natural teeth will also result in similar problems surrounding your implants. This may lead to serious gum health decline and implant failure if not treated.
Yes, Prevention Is Easy
Of course! Keeping your dental implants clean and your gums nice and healthy is a breeze when you commit to daily preventive care. We will provide you with specific instructions regarding the frequency with which you should schedule dental checkups and cleanings as well as step-by-step dental hygiene suggestions. For the most part, you can expect to brush your teeth two times a day, floss your teeth once daily, and make sure you’re keeping up with consistent preventive visits. Stay on top your dental hygiene and you can look forward to healthy gums that stay that way.
ABOUT YOUR ROHNERT PARK, CA, ORAL SURGEONS:
Combining experience in oral and maxillofacial surgery with a genuine care for their patients’ health and comfort, the team at Santa Rosa Oral Surgery is ready to improve the health and beauty of smiles in the Sonoma County and North Bay area. To schedule a consultation, contact our office by calling 707-545-4625 (Santa Rosa).
