After receiving dental implants, crowns, or bridges, you must pay even more attention to the care of your teeth. Though you should always brush twice a day and floss each day, these habits become even more important. Your dental implants, crowns, and bridges don’t grow from your gums in the same way natural teeth do. Your teeth must be cleaned with care to ensure the implant that supports your bridge or crown stays intact.
If the implant upon which your crown or bridge depends weakens too much, you can lose the entire dental appliance. Consider including oral irrigation into your daily routine to keep your dental appliances healthy and clean.
How do dental implants work?
To understand why you need to clean your dental implants differently, you need to first understand how implants differ from normal teeth. Your dentist in Springfield, MO, places dental implants where the roots of your tooth once were. After a few months of healing, your jaw fuses with the implant, giving it stability. Then, your dentist will add an abutment to the implant. This abutment allows your dentist to add a crown or bridge to the implant. In theory, the implant acts more as an artificial tooth root than a tooth. It takes at least three different pieces to replace your tooth or teeth.
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How do I clean dental implants with oral irrigation?
You should clean your teeth with great care after having oral surgery of any kind. When your dentist finishes replacing your tooth, you must remember that the tooth is made up of multiple pieces. Plaque and bacteria easily hide between crown and implant and between crown and gum. Brush and floss your dental appliances as you do your natural teeth but also consider getting an oral irrigator.
How does oral irrigators work?
Oral irrigators look similar to toothbrushes, but they spray water. A nozzle sprays a stream of water pressurized enough to rinse away loose bacteria and plaque. This ensures the area surrounding your dental bridge or crown is free of harmful microorganisms. You do not want plaque building up along your crown or have your crown clean while the dental implant underneath deteriorates. Proper use of an oral irrigator should rinse the area clean of the plaque you brushed from your dental appliances.
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Who can help me with dental implants in Springfield, Missouri?
If you believe you might need a dental crown or bridge, please contact a Springfield, MO, dentist at the Parkcrest Dental Group. We are a team with years of general, cosmetic, and orthodontic dentistry experience. We’d love to help you get your oral health back on track.