Many Americans face premature tooth loss. The American Academy of Implant Dentistry estimates that “69 percent of Americans age 35-44 have at least one missing tooth, and one in four over the age of 74 have lost ALL their natural teeth.” Individuals may be missing teeth for a variety of reasons including trauma, large cavities, a severe crack, or they may have been born missing teeth. Dental implants are a successful, modern way to replace missing teeth.
What Are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are tooth root replacements made of titanium. Implants are placed into the jawbone and may support a dental crown, partial or complete denture. Just like natural teeth, they must be regularly cleaned. The success of dental implants is correlated with excellent maintenance by your dental hygienist and by your personal home care routine.
Caring for Your Dental Implant
Home Care
If you have a dental implant or are considering a dental implant, your dental team at Hogan Family Dental recommend the following oral hygiene routines:
- Maintain regular dental visits. Your dentist may request you be seen every 3-4 months depending on the health of your mouth and dental implant.
- Clean around your implants, fixed prostheses, or bars.
- Brush twice daily with a low-abrasive tooth paste and a SOFT toothbrush or a nylon coated interdental brush. Interdental brushes are excellent aids to access hard-to-reach areas around implants and dentures. The brush may be dipped in a non-alcohol antimicrobial rinse such as Chlorhexidine for greatest benefit.
- Floss with a product like floss threaders or Superfloss (which has a built in threader).
- Add the use of oral irrigators, such as a WaterPik Water Flosser, recommended for hard-to-reach areas. We suggest a non-metal tip.
- Use a diluted, non-alcohol antimicrobial rinse if inflammation is present.
- Massage gum tissues using a rubber tip stimulator. Lay the tip flat against the gum tissue and roll the stimulator to massage around the dental implant.
Regular Dental Visits
Cleaning
At your regular dental visits, expect a thorough cleaning of your natural teeth, dental prostheses, and your dental implant. Your hygienist will make specific oral hygiene recommendations for your teeth and dental implant(s).
Radiographs
Your dentist will monitor the health of your dental implant and the surrounding bone and tissues. Your dentist will periodically prescribe x-rays which are fundamental for evaluating bone health surrounding the implant. Healthy bone and tissues surrounding the implant are necessary for a long-term prognosis.
Balanced & Healthy Bite
A balanced and healthy bite also contributes to the success of your dental implant. If your bite ever feels “different” or imbalanced, we encourage you to contact your dentist.
Implants Available in Miles City
Dr. Eric Hogan performs all aspects of dental implant treatment right here in Miles City. Surgical placement of implants, prosthetic placement (crowns, partials or dentures), and implant maintenance procedures are performed regularly at Hogan Family Dental.
Dr. Eric regularly sees patients from the surrounding areas: Broadus, Baker, Glendive, Dickinson, Wolf Point, Circle, Forsyth, Jordan, Ekalaka, Wibaux, Wiliston, and Sidney.
Contact Us
We invite you to call (406) 234-2926 to learn more about implant placement or to schedule your implant maintenance visit.
