Who is a Candidate for The GPS Solution with Dr. Eric Baker
Finally getting your GPS Smile can feel like a dream! Especially after the final delivery of your zirconia arches. The structure and durability of your GPS implants will allow you to eat anything you would normally eat with a full set of healthy, natural teeth. And even better, you’ll never again need to worry about cavities, root canals, or crowns! But just because the teeth can’t get cavities anymore doesn’t mean you don’t need to care for them. Similarly to your natural teeth, there are things you should do to help you maintain a beautiful and healthy smile! So here are our Top 5 Tips for Implant Maintenance!
#1. Brush Your Teeth
Now, you may be thinking “These teeth don’t decay. Why do I need to brush them?”. Your GPS Smile still needs to be cleaned regularly with a toothbrush. With dental implants, it’s true you’ll never have to worry about cavities, or tooth decay. However, plaque and calculus can still build up if you don’t brush your teeth. This can cause pain, discomfort, and can do damage to your implants.
#2. Use Your Waterpik
A waterpik is a GPS patient’s best friend. The high pressure flow of the waterpik (or water flosser) will clean the hard to reach places where food could get trapped between your gums and your bridge. It’s best to use this twice a day; most importantly after meals.
#3. Wear Your Night Guard
A night guard is like a retainer, but built with a thicker and stronger material. Wearing a night guard will help protect your implants and bridge from the grinding and jaw-clenching you may do in your sleep. The guard can be worn on the top or the bottom, depending on the placement of your implants, and what’s comfortable for you.
#4. Keep Your Dental Cleaning Appointments
The rule of thumb for dental hygiene is to get 2 dental cleanings a year (one every six months) with your dentist. These appointments are even more important now that you have dental implants. Your dentist is able to clean your teeth more thoroughly than you (even the dark, hidden places only popcorn kernels dare venture). They’ll also check the health of your gums, and the integrity of your implants and bone.
#5. Avoid Tobacco Products
Smokers beware! Yes, these teeth don’t permanently stain but smoking still brings risk along with it. Tobacco inhibits blood flow to the tissue in your mouth which can cause a whole array of health issues. Implant success rates in non-smokers is 97-99% and 87-89% in smokers.
Put these tips into action!
For those of you with GPS Implants, stick with these tips for the best GPS experience. Just like your original teeth, your GPS Smile still needs to be cared for. Be sure to check out this video to take a deeper look at the best practices for keeping your implants in tip top shape!
Make sure to visit dentalimplantsgps.com for more information on the GPS Solution. You can also follow us on social media to see real patient stories!