Dental implants have the ability to restore complete strength, function, and beauty to smiles impacted by missing teeth. Equally impressive, once accepted into the jawbone, implants can last for a lifetime – so long as proper care is taken to keep surrounding tissue free of disease and infection. Fortunately, this isn’t a significant undertaking. In fact, it may not take much more than you are currently doing.
You can best care for dental implants by caring for your teeth. This means:
- Using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to clean the teeth after every meal
- Flossing at least twice a day
- Visiting our office every six months for routine care
If you have dental implants, a deeper clean in between teeth may be beneficial. This can be accomplished with a dental water jet. Though routine flossing, done correctly, may prove just as beneficial in controlling inflammation and reducing risks of bacterial gum infection.
Protecting Your Dental Implants
Following placement, your dental implants will integrate into your jawbone over the course of a few months. This process is what allows dental implants to stay in place, eliminating the risks of restorations slipping or shifting, just one of several advantages dental implants have over other forms of tooth replacement. However, if care isn’t taken during the healing phase, implants may fail to secure to bone and have to be replaced.
During the healing phase, it is important that you develop a thorough oral hygiene routine that includes keeping the implant area clean and free of debris. It is also important that you do not use tobacco products during recovery. Smoking cigarettes, specifically, increases risks for infection and delays the healing process. Nicotine, in general, is a vasoconstrictor. Even vaped or chewed, nicotine will reduce blood flow and oxygen to the treatment area, reducing healing capacity and increasing risks for implant failure.
Of course, caring for your implants both during and after recovery will vary somewhat depending on the type of implants you have had placed. Dr. Konig will work to ensure you are provided with all of the tools you need to keep your implants – and your natural teeth and gums – strong and healthy.
Why Choose Dr. Konig for Dental Implants in Houston?
Dr. Konig is a Fellow of the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies – one of only four in Houston – and the Academy of General Dentistry. Experienced, caring, and qualified, Dr. Konig takes time to understand the needs of each patient and to provide services customized to produce remarkable results – efforts that have seen him named Houston’s Top Dentist by Houstonia Magazine in addition to being awarded the reader’s choice award for Best TMJ Dentist by Living Magazine.
Dr. Konig offers a comprehensive range of dental implant options, including teeth in a day, allowing him to tailor each procedure for optimal results. If you are missing one or more teeth, Dr. Konig welcomes an opportunity to meet with you, listen to your concerns, assess the health of your teeth and gums, and help you determine the best way to restore your smile.
To schedule your dental implants consultation at our Houston office, please call 713-668-2289. Ronald W. Konig, DDS, FAGD, LVIF, FIAPA welcomes patients from The Woodlands, Conroe, Katy, Sugar Land, and all surrounding areas of Texas.
