Getting A Dental Implant? Prevent Peri-Implantitis

Dental implants are fantastic restorations since they are permanent, unlike dentures, and they can be fabricated to look like your natural teeth. In general, implant procedures have about a 98% success rate.

However, because there are so many benefits and because implants have a high success rate, it can be easy for patients to get complacent about their oral care. When an implant does happen to fail, one reason could be peri-implantitis. If you're interested in getting a dental implant, you should understand the risk of peri-implantitis and learn how to prevent this condition.

What is Peri-implantitis?

Peri-implantitis is an inflammatory condition that affects the bone and gum tissues around the implant. Over time, this condition can cause bone loss and gum recession. Implants cannot last in patients with unchecked peri-implantitis because you need the support of both your gums and jaw bone to retain the implant.

What Causes this Condition?

Poor plaque control is the main cause of peri-implantitis. So if you have a gum disease (e.g. gingivitis, periodontitis), you may not be a great candidate for an implant until you get those conditions under control. Gum disease causes inflammation in the body and causes pockets around your gums that can fill up with bacteria. Deep dental cleanings, like scaling and root planing, can help you get your gum disease under control.

While poor oral hygiene is the main cause of peri-implantitis, people who smoke or are diabetic are also at an increased risk of the development of this disease.

How Can You Prevent Peri-implantitis?

If you smoke, your doctor may have you abstain from the habit for a short time period before and after surgery. Nicotine narrows the blood vessels, which affects healing times. If you abstain from smoking, even for a short time, you'll improve your recovery since you'll improve blood circulation, which is vital if you want to bring oxygen and nutrients to the healing site.

People with diabetes or other inflammatory conditions should work on managing their symptoms and staying on top of their oral hygiene. That means you shouldn't just brush, you should floss and regularly visit the dentist for cleanings. If your dentist is worried about poor healing or support, he or she may recommend placing a bone graft before the implant surgery.

You should also let your dentist know of any allergies or sensitivities you may have. Some people are sensitive to the cement used in cement-retained implant crowns, so you can reduce your risk of peri-implantitis if you opt for a screw-retained implant crown.

Contact a dentist in your area today to learn more about dental implants and how to prepare for your surgery so that you have the best experience possible.


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