Over the years, you become accustomed to dentures, but you dislike having to replace them frequently. You also hate that you can’t eat some of the foods you used to, like carrots and uncut apples. That’s when you learn about dental implants. By attaching your dentures to implants, you get a lot more stability and strength in your bite, along with a host of other benefits. You’re excited to go from normal ones to implant dentures, but what will the transition be like? How can you make the change as smoothly as possible? Read on to find out!
Be Diligent in Your Oral Hygiene
When you first lost your real teeth, you may have thought that your days of cleaning teeth would be over. Not true! With dentures, you had to get used to daily cleaning and soaking them overnight. In some ways, maintaining dentures is more work than before!
Although caring for dental implants is different from the way you maintained your dentures, the daily process for implants is exactly the same as taking care of natural teeth. Once you get your dental implants, you’ll need to brush and floss your prosthetic teeth every day to remove plaque and bits of food. Although your implant dentures won’t decay, your gums can still become infected. But through these simple steps, you can keep your mouth healthy and enjoy your implants every day, so get in the habit of brush and flossing daily.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
If you are not already, you need to be going to the dentist at least every six months for checkups and cleanings. These routine appointments are necessary because if an infection or other problem arises, your dentist can catch and treat it as early as possible. As a result, your implants can stay strong and in excellent condition for many years.
Limit Your Sugar Consumption
With your dental implants, you are physically capable of eating just about anything you want. However, it is a good idea to not overindulge in sweet treats because they can fuel harmful bacteria in your mouth. By monitoring your sugar intake, you can provide a more hospitable environment for your implants and enjoy them longer.
As you transition to implant dentures, your dentist will be there to guide you through the process and give you advice for making your dental implants last. If you start these habits before you receive the implants, you’ll already have the skills necessary to keep your implants like new for a long time to come.
About the Author
With more than 35 years of dentistry experience, Dr. Nelson Howard has undergone thousands of hours of advanced training and continuing education. He performs both the placement and restoration of implants, making the process simpler and smoother for patients. He currently has two locations, one in Rancho Bernardo in San Diego and another in San Marcos. If you would like to talk with him about the transition from dentures to implants, you can schedule a consultation with him online or by calling 858-451-0550.