I’ve discussed grinding your teeth before. I’ve explained implants. But I’ve never combined them into a significant topic. If you know that you have a tendency to clench your teeth together, or grind your teeth at night, you need to confess this to your dentist before having a dental implant. Patients assume that, as a dentist, I can tell that they clench or grind teeth, but that isn’t always the case.
New implants do not like Clenchers or Grinders. They also don’t like folks who open cracker and chip bags with their teeth. These habits or activities place undue “sideways” pressure on the metal peg that is trying to adhere permanently to the jaw bone. Even though the effects of the actual implant surgery diminish within a week, the entire osseointegration process takes several months. This length varies between people.
Once the healing is over and the implant is stable, it will function just like your natural teeth and will need to be cleaned like them, as well. At times, my patients actually forget which tooth has an implant after a while. I take that as a compliment!
Contact Winterset Dental to schedule your appointment.