Dental implants are a great way to restore one or more missing teeth. Implants can be used to support an individual crown, a partial denture, or even a full denture on one or both arches. For the most part, caring for your dental implants is the same as caring for your natural teeth but there are a few modifications and extra care you will need to take to make sure your implant lasts as long as possible.
Dental implants are beneficial to bone health as well as giving you a complete, natural looking smile. Tooth roots help stimulate bone regeneration and dental implants are essentially an artificial tooth root. Without this stimulation, the jaw bone will begin to deteriorate which can lead to further tooth loss.
Patients who wear a traditional bridge or traditional denture that sit above the gum tissue can eventually have issues with the fit of their prosthesis. As the bone begins to deteriorate, the facial structure can change and the bridge or denture can become ill-fitting.
Clean and Maintain Dental Implants
Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine at home and regular visits to your dentist for professional cleanings is vital to the success of your implant. A lot of implant patients are advised to have a more frequent cleaning schedule done the usual every six months to keep the implant healthy and functioning properly.
Your dental hygienist will have special tools to clean your dental implants to prevent damage to the crown, the abutment, or even the implant itself. If the surface of any part of the implant is scratched, it can attract and harbor bacteria, which can lead to an infection and possibly failure of the implant. Therefore, the instruments used to clean dental implants are often made of a plastic or resin material.
Your hygienist will also use an ultrasonic instrument which uses high frequency vibrations in conjunction with water irrigation to remove larger debris and tartar buildup. Natural teeth do not scratch the same way that porcelain does so metal instruments are perfectly safe for them.
When practicing oral hygiene at home, your toothbrush will be sufficient in regularly removing biofilm and plaque but it cannot remove calculus (hardened plaque) or dental cement, which may be used to secure your implant restoration. Your hygienist will use instruments that are effective at removing such contaminants to make sure your implant stays clean and healthy.
If at any point a part of the implant itself is visible, it could be an existing indication of infection that has resulted in loss of gum tissue or bone structure. an infection of the implant can be detrimental so it is vital to address any problems as soon as they arise.
Dental implants are one of the best ways to restore missing teeth. They encourage bone health and have a 95% rate of long-term success. Preventing peri-implant disease is a critical part of implant health and function. Even though your Dentist is not the dental professional that placed your implant, they can help you get the most out of your investment and ensure that your implant lasts lifetime!