5 tips for dental implants
You made it: the operation was successful and you got an implant in your jawbone. Now it is up to you to maintain the implant so that it will last as long as possible. But what can and cannot you do with dental implants? And how do you make sure they are well maintained? We share 5 must-know tips with you.
Mind your diet
Immediately after placing an implant, you will be advised to be careful with hard food. During the first period of time, the implant should be pressured as little as possible. The jawbone needs time to heal and the implant should gain stability in the jaw. After about 10 days you can slowly rebuild with eating harder food. Once your implant has healed, you no longer need to take your diet into account. After all, an implant is just as firmly attached to your jawbone as your own teeth. So you don’t have to spare it when eating food.
After your operation, you are also advised not to rinse with water for a while. This has to do with the blood clot that is formed after the operation. If you rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash, you can rinse the clot away and slow down wound healing. After about two days, however, you may start rinsing gently with a special mouthwash for implants.
Take additional costs into account
If after surgery you think you’ve had it all, then you are unfortunately wrong. After the implant has been placed, several more appointments will follow to make the buildup of the crown or bridge. For this, you will need to make prints or scans, there will often be a temporary provision on your implant and you will need to make another appointment to permanently place your crown or bridge. If all goes well, you should have received an extensive budget from your practitioner beforehand. If not, ask for this. It is nice to know approximately what costs will still be charged.
Check your insurance reimbursements with your insurance agency.
The second part of the implantology process involves other treatments and costs. After the surgery has been performed, your crown or bridge will have to be made and you will have to deal with other claim codes. Some insurers do reimburse these codes, in contrast to the surgical costs. Therefore, check your budget to see which claim codes appear on it and check with your insurance company to see if they will be reimbursed. In addition, take the costs for the maintenance of your implant into account: costs for oral care products and oral hygiene treatments. A supplementary dental insurance often reimburses the codes for preventive treatments (M-codes). This can be advantageous if you regularly visit the oral hygienist.
Dental Implant care
No matter how often you go to the dental hygienist, the most important thing is to take good care of your implant every day. Start gently brushing the implant with an ultra-soft surgical toothbrush immediately after the implant is placed. Always continue to brush your implant properly, even if a crown or bridge is placed on it. If bacteria remain along the edge of the gums, they can cause inflammation around your implant. When you visit your dental hygienist, he or she will also show you how to clean between your implant. This is because the toothbrush won’t allow you to clean your implant properly all around if it has a crown or bridge on it. You will need a brush or special floss wire to do this. This also applies if you have click teeth. Daily cleaning of your implant prevents inflammation and is the key to a healthy dental implant.