But there are also some things you can do to lower the risk of implant failure even further – including these four.
1. Maintain Good Oral Hygiene
Before and especially after the implant placement, you want to follow all instructions given by your periodontist. And you want to be careful to maintain good oral health.
The implant needs to be brushed, flossed around, and cared for just like a regular tooth. Healthy gums and bone around and under the implant will also help it last and function properly without a problem.
2. Avoid Smoking When Getting Implants
Smoking tobacco products increases the implant failure rate to 20 percent. It reduces blood flow to your gums and thus slows down the healing process significantly.
Smokers can still get dental implants, but they need to be aware of the higher risk. And it’s best to not smoke for a week before the surgery and for a couple months afterward. Using a nicotine patch or other aid may be helpful for some. If you can’t quit smoking permanently, you need to at least keep the smoke and tobacco out of your mouth during this sensitive time period.
3. Take Care Which Medications You Are Using
It has been shown that certain medications can increase the risk of implant failure. This includes both prescription meds and some over the counter ones.
You need to inform your periodontist of all medicines you are currently taking so he or she can check if it increases the risk or not. Stop taking anything you can during this period, and carefully weigh the risks if you have medications you must continue to take.
4. Make Sure You Are A Good Candidate For Dental Implants
You should not have dental implants put in if you have active and/or severe gum disease. Nor should you have implants placed if your jaw lacks sufficient bone mass and strength to properly support the titanium implant rods.
Also, people with certain conditions like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of implant failure because these conditions make the body heal more slowly. That slows down the fusing of bone material to the titanium implant rods. You definitely want to talk to a dental professional to understand the risk if you have any major health conditions before undergoing the dental implant procedure.
In general, most people are good candidates for dental implants and implants have a success rate of around 99%. Most people can afford dental implants too, and dental insurance usually covers them.
To learn more about the benefits of modern implants and how the procedure works, or to schedule an appointment with a local periodontist, contact Ormond Beach Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Central Florida today!