All our professionals maintain the highest levels of accreditation and pursue ongoing education to stay abreast of the latest trends in dentistry.
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954 52nd Street SE Kentwood, MI 49508 (616) 724-1780 |
1235 W. State ST
Hastings, MI 49058
(269) 948-8029
Patient Library
Find helpful information in our digital library.
Archive:
- 2018
- June (6)
- Bone Grafting Might be Necessary Before You Obtain an Implant
- FAQs About Children's Dental Development
- Take These Measures to Lower Your Child's Tooth Decay Risk
- Finding the Right Solution for Your Gummy Smile
- June Is Men's Health Month
- Use the Same Prevention Strategy to Defeat Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
- March (5)
- It's Spring Cleaning Time...for Your Teeth!
- Provisional Restorations let you Try out Your New Smile First
- 3 Fluoride Sources You Should Monitor for Your Family's Dental Health
- 3 Tips for Helping Your Kids Develop Great Tooth-Friendly Habits
- Why the Ointment You're Using Could be Making Your Facial Rash Worse
- 2017
- 2016
- November (5)
- Reduce Your Oral Cancer Risk with Better Diet and Lifestyle Choices
- Clear Aligners Make it Easier for Teenagers to have Their Teeth Straightened
- 4 Reasons you may want Your Dentist to Whiten Your Teeth
- Transform Your Smile and Dental Health by Correcting Your Bad Bite
- Follow These Common Sense Steps When Your Child has a Toothache
- October (5)
- What to Expect Before, During and After Implant Surgery
- Don't let Gum Disease - the 'Other Dental Disease' - Rob you of Your Smile
- Reduce Sugar Consumption - for a Healthier Mouth and Body
- Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
- Teenagers May Need a Temporary Tooth Replacement
- August (5)
- Do you need Simple Tooth Removal or Surgery? It Depends on a few Factors
- People Born with Missing Teeth can Still Gain a Beautiful Smile
- You can Still have Implants with Diabetes - if you have it under Control
- See Your new Look Before Dental Work with a 'Trial Smile'
- Topical Fluoride Adds Extra Protection against Tooth Decay
- June (5)
- Keeping Gum Disease at Bay Could Help Your Overall Health
- The Risk for Gum Disease Increases While Wearing Braces
- Monitoring Blood Pressure is Also Important During Dental Care
- Adult Tooth Root Resorption is a Serious Issue that Requires Prompt Action
- Weigh a Poor Smile's Emotional and Social Cost when Considering Restorations
- March (5)
- Surgically Accessing Sinuses can Help Grow New Bone for Implants
- Kids, Cats and Canines: Dental Development Through the Ages
- Removable Dentures Remain a Viable Option for People with Total Tooth Loss
- Advancing Gum Disease Requires Thorough Treatment to Control it
- Support Your Child's Teeth Development with Proper Hygiene and Dental Care
- 2015
- 2014
- December (5)
- Reduce Your Risk of Oral Cancer With a Healthy Whole Food Diet
- Periodontal Surgery may be Needed to Halt Gum Disease and Encourage Healing
- Extend the Life of Your Dental Appliance With Proper Care
- More Than a new Smile - Dental Implants Help Stop Bone Loss as Well
- Dealing With Dental Emergencies While Traveling Abroad
- August (5)
- Does Your Toothbrush Need A Cleaning?
- Replace Missing Teeth to Prevent Other Teeth From Moving Out of Place
- Composite Resins are a Viable Restoration Option for Mildly Defective Teeth
- A Fixed Bridge Remains an Effective Option for Tooth Replacement
- Make Informed Choices on Drinking Water by Knowing the Facts
- April (5)
- Five Things You Should Know About Sleep Apnea
- Seeking Relief From Burning Mouth Syndrome
- Non-Vital Bleaching Removes Unsightly Tooth Discoloration From Within
- Considering Bone and Gums Critical to Achieving a Better Smile With Implants
- Know What to do to Ease Your Child Out of the Thumb Sucking Habit
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
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Categories:
Keeping up Good Hygiene Still a Necessity with Dental Implants
Dental implants are widely considered the most durable tooth replacement option, thanks in part to how they attach to the jaw. But durable doesn't mean indestructible — you must take care of them.
Implants have a unique relationship to the jawbone compared to other restorations. We imbed a slender titanium post into the bone as a substitute for a natural tooth root. Because bone has a special affinity with the metal, it grows to and adheres to the implant to create a secure anchor. This unique attachment gives implants quite an advantage over other restorations.
It isn't superior, however, to the natural attachment of real teeth, especially in one respect: it can't match a natural attachment's infection-fighting ability. A connective tissue attachment made up of collagen fibers are attached to the tooth root protecting the underlying bone. An elastic gum tissue called the periodontal ligament lies between the tooth root and the bone and attaches to both with tiny collagen fibers. These attachments create a network of blood vessels that supply nutrients and infection-fighting agents to the bone and surrounding gum tissue.
Implants don't have this connective tissue or ligament attachment or its benefits. Of course, the implants are made of inorganic material that can't be damaged by bacterial infection. However, the gums and bone that surround them are: and because these natural tissues don't have these same biologic barriers to infection and perhaps access to the same degree of antibodies as those around natural teeth, an infection known as peri-implantitis specific to implants can develop and progress.
It's therefore just as important for you to continue brushing and flossing to remove bacterial plaque that causes infection to protect the gums and bone around your implants. You should also keep up regular office cleanings and checkups. In fact, we take special care with implants when cleaning them by using instruments that won't scratch their highly polished surfaces. Such a scratch, even a microscopic one, could attract and harbor bacteria.
There's no doubt dental implants are an excellent long-term solution for restoring your smile and mouth function. You can help extend that longevity by caring for them just as if they're your natural teeth.
If you would like more information on caring for dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Dental Implant Maintenance.”