The Recovery From Dental Implants

The recovery period after receiving dental implant surgery needs to be taken very seriously. The mouth needs to be treated gently until the bone, gums and teeth have adapted to the new implants. Trying to return to normal activities too quickly can cause a number of complications. Several tips will make recovery after receiving dental implants much easier.

Eat Only Soft Foods and Liquids

The first tip is to eat only soft foods and liquids for the first four to six days after the dental implants are placed. Eating hard or crunchy foods can cause inflammation. It could even cause bleeding or damage to the gums and bone. The foods and liquids should also not be too hot since pain medications and lingering anesthesia could reduce sensation so that burning is a possibility. A periodontist Pittsburgh residents can trust will often advise avoiding chewy, sticky and sugary foods as well.

Keep an Ice Pack Handy

One of the natural things that will happen after getting dental implants through a location like Werkmeister Periodontics in Pittsburgh, PA is swelling and inflammation. This occurs because the body is sending blood to the area in order to heal the gums and bone. A very simple way to deal with this in the days after surgery is to keep ice packs handy. Placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel against the cheek can help to reduce swelling. It also provides some relief from any aches and pains. It usually helps to keep two or three ice packs ready in a freezer.

Rinse With Warm Salt Water

After returning from the periodontist Pittsburgh residents still need to perform regular oral hygiene. Brushing needs to be done every day as gently as possible. Another way to keep the mouth clean and healthy is to rinse with a solution of salt and warm water. The mouth should be rinsed out between four and five times each day. The salt will actively kill harmful bacteria that could cause problems during recovery.

Avoid Strenuous Physical Activities

In the week after getting back from the periodontist Pittsburgh dental implant recipients should avoid strenuous physical activities. This includes exercise, lifting heavy items and moving around excessively. This can cause the gums to start bleeding. It could lead to infections or damage to the gums. If activity is causing pain or a pounding sensation in the gums, then it is time to stop.

No Cigarettes or Alcohol

Every periodontist Pittsburgh patients will see for dental implants will insist on no cigarettes or alcohol during recovery. Smoking can cause problems like infections and bleeding. Both tobacco and alcohol can inhibit proper recovery. Cigarettes and alcohol should be avoided completely until the mouth has fully healed.

Follow All Instructions Exactly

After visiting a periodontist Pittsburgh residents will normally receive a list of instructions and some medications like painkillers and antibiotics. These instructions need to be followed exactly even if they seem pointless, burdensome or excessive. The instructions a location like Werkmeister Periodontics in Pittsburgh, PA provides are there for a reason. Recovery will be safest, fastest and most comfortable when following all official instructions.

Dental Implant Tips

Your Pittsburgh periodontist will most likely give you some tips to help you maintain your dental implants before you leave the dental center. There are several things that you will need to know about dental implants. Below are some of the facts that you will need to know:

Good Oral Hygiene Is Extremely Important

Your Pittsburgh periodontist will discuss good oral hygiene thoroughly before you leave the dental center. It is essential for you to brush and floss regularly so that you can remove bacteria and prevent bacterial bio-film from building up. If bacteria bio-film is not removed, then it can lead to peri-implantitis. You will need to use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste in order to clean your teeth. Use floss at least once a day.

Infection is an enemy to both your natural teeth and dental implants. An infection can cause tooth decay and gum disease. Your implants cannot decay, but if you develop peri-implantitis, then the implant may loosen. Peri-implantitis can also cause bone loss around the implant. You should contact a dental center immediately if you suspect that you are having problems with your dental implants.

Professional Cleanings Are Also Very Important

Even if you take good care of your dental implants, you will still need to come to the dental center regularly for cleanings. Your dental hygienist will use special tools to clean around your implants and reach areas that you may not be able to get with your toothbrush. A dental hygienist can clean your teeth without scratching your implants’ surfaces. Ask your Pittsburgh periodontist about how often you will need to get professional dental cleanings.

Well-Cared Dental Implants Can Last A Long Time

One of the reasons that dental implants are preferred over other restoration options is because they can potentially last a very long time. In fact, dental implants have a 95 percent success rate. However, the key to keeping your dental implants a long time is to take good care of them.

If you are looking for a Pittsburgh periodontist, then you should contact Werkmeister Periodontist. This dentistry is based out of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

The Effects of Smoke on Your Oral Care

Many people are aware of the harmful effects that smoking has on the human body, but what about other areas, such as the mouth? Your mouth can be a comfy home for many different germs and diseases, so what happens when you incorporate smoking into this situation?

What Dental Problems Are Linked to Smoking?

There are a lot of diseases that a person can get as a result of many different factors, such as smoking. People who smoke put themselves at risk for a variety of dental problems, such as:

• Increased risk of oral cancer
• Increased chance of gum disease
• Tooth discoloration
• Delayed healing within the mouth
• Bad breath

Oral care is significant whether you smoke or not, but when you do smoke, it puts you at risk for developing many different diseases and conditions. Proper dental care is required every day of the year to obtain a healthy mouth, and it is important that you schedule check-ups regularly at your preferred dental center. Werkmeister Periodontist provides many different services that help you keep your teeth and gums healthy and sparkling clean.

A lot of people know that smoking tobacco cigarettes cause extensive damage to their gums, but they often wonder about cigar and pipe smoking. Smoking cigars and pipes, lie tobacco cigarettes, causes many different dental problems.

Smokeless Tobacco Products

Although smokeless tobacco products do not produce smoke, there are many different dental issues that can occur. Even though smokeless tobacco products do not have the same risks as other tobacco products, there are other risks that apply, such as gum tissue irritation, receding gum tissue, and exposed teeth roots. These factors may not sound as serious as other risks, but daily activities, such as eating and drinking can become difficult. These instances welcome tooth decay and similar conditions.
Werkmeister Periodontist has oral care experts that are willing to help you achieve your goal of having a healthy mouth. Werkmeister Periodontist is a dental center that provides many different oral care services that promote an overall healthy mouth.

For these reasons alone, many people try to kick their habit of smoking, but for people who have been smoking for over 10 years, quitting poses a challenging task and requires a lot of effort. According the American Cancer Society, more than 85% of people who use tobacco develop cancer of the throat, mouth, tongue, and lips. The longer you have been smoking;, the greater the risk is of developing these cancer types.

People who have had cancer and defeated it, but continue to smoke and use tobacco products have more than a 35% chance of developing a different type of oral cancer.
Proper oral care is just as essential as any other part of your health. Your mouth reveals a lot of things about you, so make sure it has nothing but good things to show! Werkmeister Periodontist Dental Center can repair your smile and help you regain your self-confidence with a dazzling, sparkling smile. Make your mouth happy today and improve your oral health by contacting Werkmeister Periodontist Dental Center today!

Maybe you’ve moved, or perhaps you didn’t like your last dentist and are searching for a new one. If you find yourself in need of a general dentist, there are several things to consider when making your selection.

Gather the Facts
The recommendation of family and friends. This is certainly an important consideration since your family and friends may have direct experience with a dentist, and therefore would be able to share their experiences with you. If they have had good experiences, you will likely have good experiences too.

What type of practice are you looking for? Despite what some may believe, dentistry is not a commodity. Dentists and dental practices are as different as the people who work in them.  Do the dentist and staff take the time to answer all of your questions completely? Do you feel well treated during your visit? Some dental practices have a very homey feel, while others are set in professional office buildings. Some offices are bustling, while others have a small, boutique feel.  Where will you be most comfortable?

Is the office clean and up-to-date?  An office that appears cluttered and outdated in the front office and reception area is likely to be cluttered and outdated in the clinical areas. An office that appears neat and modern in the front will likely be neat and modern in the clinical areas, as well.

Are the dentist and hygienist thorough? Every dental examination should be thorough and include an oral cancer screening, examination of the teeth for dental decay, evaluation of current dental restorations, and a periodontal examination. If your dentist or hygienist is not regularly performing a periodontal examination, find another office!

Recommendation of Dental Specialists. Dental specialists routinely work with many dental practices and are familiar with their work. If you are under the care of a dental specialist, ask for his or her opinion. If they know you and what you are looking for in a dental practice, they can match you with an office best suited to your dental needs.  The best dentists have relationships with the best dental specialists (and this is the BEST treatment).

All dentists are licensed to practice dentistry by their state dental board. This means that before the dentist can practice dentistry, he or she had to pass written and clinical examinations in order to demonstrate their competence as a dentist. Nevertheless, dentists vary widely with regard to their clinical expertise in any given area of dentistry.  As in all endeavors, some excel in particular areas. Some dentists are particularly adept in cosmetic dentistry, while others have expertise in crown and bridge dentistry or dental implants.

Gum disease is very insidious because it presents itself with few, if any, noticeable symptoms. Even the subtlest of symptoms like gums that occasionally bleed or bad breath may signal a serious problem that could eventually, if left untreated, result in the loss of teeth.

Timely treatment of gum disease can mean the difference between keeping your teeth and losing your teeth. It can quietly worsen at an increasing rate, much like a snowball rolling down a hillside, gaining size and momentum as it rolls down the hill.

Why Is It So Important to Treat Gum Disease?

First, gum disease can cause you to lose your teeth. However, if treated early, periodontitis and gingivitis will not rob you of your teeth.

Gum disease has been shown to be associated with conditions like heart attacks, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis. You can lower your risk of these diseases by getting proper treatment from your general dentist and a periodontist.

Treating Your Gum Disease

But fear not! Treatment of periodontal disease continues to advance with improvements in both nonsurgical and surgical treatments. Today, provided the condition is not too far advanced, most people can keep their teeth for a lifetime.

Treatment of periodontal disease occurs in three main steps:

1. Clean out the infection. Bacteria must be removed from underneath the gumline in a conservative and nonsurgical procedure called scaling/root planing (SRP).
2. Fix the problems that remain. After the infection has been eliminated, a healthy relationship of the gums and teeth needs to be reestablished so that you can maintain a healthy mouth.
3. Maintain dental and periodontal health. Regular dental/periodontal examinations and cleanings will best ensure long-term dental and periodontal health into the future. This is best accomplished with alternating dental and periodontal maintenance between your dentist and a periodontist, who is a dentist that specializes in the treatment of gum disease.

Don’t wait for your problem to go away, because it won’t. Early treatment is your best hope of the conservative, long-term solution to your gum problem. Call Dr. Werkmeister today at his Wexford, PA office to set up a consultation.