One of the top common concerns patients have when considering dental implants Hertfordshire is the long-term success of their treatment. It is no secret tooth replacement implants carry a higher price tag than other types of missing teeth replacement devices, but this investment repays itself in the numerous benefits the treatment affords patients. In addition to their high rate of efficacy, dental implants Hertfordshire carry other desirable benefits including mirroring the exact look and feel of natural teeth, confident eating and speaking capabilities and easy-to-maintain oral hygiene.
With so many attractive advantages on offer, patients want to know how they can best protect the longevity of their dental implants Hertfordshire. In this post, our well-experienced dental team at Hertford Dental Care discusses those pertinent factors that help patients enjoy their dental implants for longer.
Top factors that influence longevity of dental implants
An important step in the dental implant treatment process is determining patient suitability. Establishing patient suitability is one of the first factors that contribute to the success of treatment. Suitability is determined by our implant dentist carrying out a thorough assessment of the patent’s oral and general health.
With regard to oral health, our implant dentist will want to make sure that gum health and jawbone quality is sufficient to allow for the implantation of the metal rod that will serve as an artificial tooth root, anchoring the dental crown to the jawbone.
Determining good dental health is a given, but how does general health relate to implant suitability? There are a few medical conditions and lifestyle behaviours that can interfere with the success of implantation. Medical conditions such as diabetes and habits like smoking tobacco products have a detrimental impact on gum health. Good gum health is a prerequisite for a speedy recovery process.
Once our implant dentist has carried out the surgical procedure of implanting the artificial tooth root and the healing process is underway, it becomes the patient’s responsibility to protect the implant by caring for their oral health.
The first area of concern relates to oral hygiene. It cannot be stated enough that proper dentist-recommended guidelines to cleaning the mouth are critical to implantation success. Our dentist will advise how to clean teeth following the procedure and a special mouthwash may be recommended.
The next area that patients will want to look at is their lifestyle; in particular, their diet and any other unfavourable habits that may have detrimental consequences for dental health. A tooth-friendly diet mainly requires patients to avoid frequent excessive consumption of sugary and highly acidic foods and beverages. Patients are welcome to ask our implant dentist for more information about what to include in the pro-dental diet for children and adults.
Not only are healthy lifestyle choices important for overall general health, but this area is also equally important for patients opting to have dental implants installed. Those patients who smoke will be encouraged to give up the habit, as nicotine tightens blood vessels so that blood flow to the gums is impeded, thwarting the healing process.
Next to choosing a well-experienced implant dentist to oversee the treatment process, it is the patient’s ultimate commitment to caring for their tooth replacement implants that will influence treatment outcomes. For a consultation with a well-experienced and friendly implant dentist, reach out to us at Hertford Dental Care.
