My dentist advised against wearing my flipper for a week after bone graft/dental implant surgery. When can I wear my essix retainer? Can I have one modified to not apply pressure to the site, so I don't have to go toothless for 7-10 days? Also would it be advisable to put on a bonded retainer on my upper and lower front six teeth, since I may not be able to wear my retainer for up to a month? The implants are going in my upper first premolars. When can my flipper be worn to eat in?
Answers (6)
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Chewing forces on teeth with many fillings and a history of failing restorations leads to tooth loss. Implants are among the most predictable and longest lasting treatments. The advice of your surgeon is exactly how I would advise.
It's not uncommon for there to be a black shadow on the gums where the metal (titanium) implant shows through. This happens for a number of reasons, often because the tissue covering the implant is not thick enough to adequately mask the dark color of the implant. It's often times not an issue...
Success with dental implants is a factor of probabilities. The odds for success increase with more precautions, pre-surgical planning and post-operative care. Implant success rates are very high, usually quoted in the 98% success range. Success goes down if the patient does not...