Dental implants are designed to be a durable solution for replacing missing teeth. With good oral hygiene and regular dental care, they can provide comfortable function for many years. However, certain everyday habits can put unnecessary stress on your implants, the crowns attached to them, and the surrounding gum and bone tissue.
The good news? Many of these habits are easy to recognize and avoid. If you have dental implants, watch out for these behaviors.
Using Your Teeth as Tools
We’ve all been tempted to use our teeth to open a package, tear a piece of tape, or loosen a stubborn lid. But your teeth aren’t tools! Using your implants this way can place excessive force on the restoration and potentially cause damage.
Keep scissors, bottle openers, and other appropriate tools nearby instead. Your smile will thank you.
Chewing on Hard Objects
Chewing on ice, pens, fingernails, or other hard objects can put significant pressure on your teeth and dental restorations. Although implants themselves are sturdy, the crown attached to an implant can still become damaged or fractured.
If you have a habit of chewing on something when you’re concentrating or nervous, try replacing it with a safer alternative that doesn’t put pressure on your teeth.
Eating Too Many Hard or Sticky Foods
Certain foods can also make life harder on your dental restorations. Extremely hard foods and sticky candies can place additional stress on an implant crown. Hard candies are especially easy to bite down on with considerable force because they are designed to be held in the mouth and eventually crunched.
You don’t necessarily have to eliminate every challenging food from your diet, but being mindful of particularly hard or sticky choices can help protect your restorations.
Ignoring Your Oral Hygiene
Dental implants cannot develop cavities in the same way natural teeth can, but that doesn’t mean they are maintenance-free. Plaque and bacteria can accumulate around an implant and contribute to inflammation or infection of the surrounding tissues.
Continue brushing twice a day and cleaning between your teeth as recommended by your dental professional. Depending on your implant and restoration, special brushes, floss, or other cleaning tools may be helpful.
Skipping Dental Visits
Regular dental visits are an important part of maintaining your implants. Professional examinations allow your dentist to check the condition of your restoration and monitor the gums and bone supporting the implant.
These visits can also help identify potential problems before they become more complicated. If your implant feels loose, painful, or different from usual, don’t wait for your next routine appointment to bring it up.
Smoking or Using Tobacco
Tobacco use can interfere with oral health and may make it harder for the tissues around dental implants to remain healthy. Smoking can also affect healing following implant placement.
If you use tobacco, talk with your dental professional about ways to quit or reduce your use. Making a change can benefit your implants as well as your overall health.
Protecting Your Investment
Dental implants can be a long-lasting way to restore your smile, but they still deserve daily care and attention. Avoiding damaging habits and keeping up with good oral hygiene can help you enjoy your restored smile for years to come.
About the Practice
Dr. Neslund and Dr. Brenner of Carlisle Family & Cosmetic Dentistry provide dental care focused on helping patients maintain healthy, functional smiles. We offer dental implant services for patients who are looking to replace missing teeth and restore their ability to eat, speak, and smile comfortably.
Call us at (717) 258-5455 or schedule your appointment online