The Stability Of Your New Dental Implant: What To Know
Posted on: 23 May 2022
Dental implants are meant to last a very long time. However, the human body can be a complex system and your implant's stability can rest on several factors. Your actions can also affect how long an implant will last. Read on to find out more.
Understanding Your Implant
To take care of your implant, it's best to know what goes into it. Though it might appear to be just like your natural teeth, the way an implant is held stable depends on a titanium post that has been implanted into your jawbone. Atop that post is the visible tooth you see, designed and shaded to blend in with your natural teeth seamlessly. Although both the post and false tooth on top are meant to last for years, the false tooth part on top can show wear if you are not careful.
The Implant and Your Personal Habits
The things you eat, and your personal habits will have an impact on the implant. Nocturnal teeth-grinding can affect the wear of your implant so ask your dentist about wearing a guard at night to protect all your teeth. Smoking, eating hard candy, crunching on ice, playing hockey, and other personal habits can weaken, crack, and break the top part of your implant so that it must be replaced. Talk to your dentist about how your personal habits can negatively affect your implant and how to make them last by making better choices.
Jawbone and Post Stabilization
The post that is sunk into your jawbone does not immediately bond with your jawbone. Before your implant was placed, your dentist undoubtedly evaluated the strength of your jaw to determine its suitability to retain and bond with the implanted post. Some people, in fact, must undergo bone grafts before they get an implant to improve their jawbone stability.
As the post, which may be coated with a special material that encourages bonding, becomes part of your jawbone, it fuses into place by a process called osseointegration. You must take care to protect your implant during the crucial several months that it takes for this process to be complete. Proper dental hygiene actions are vital to keeping plaque from forming on the implant which can lead to an infection that will seriously affect the osseointegration process.
As your implant becomes more and more stable, keep your dentist informed about changes in your health and the medications you take as almost anything can affect your implant. Don't miss any appointments and consult your dentist for more information about dental implants.
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