Dental Implants: How to Properly Maintain Them
The maintenance of dental implants requires careful attention from the dentist, the office's hygienist, and the patient. By working together, they can achieve long term success for these important oral devices.
Some of the care comes at the professional level. Every time a patient returns to a dentist's office for an appointment, the implant needs to be carefully evaluated. Any signs of inflammation, bleeding, or changes in probing depth need to be noted and considered. It is usually a good idea to take x-rays of the dental implants to insure that they are as they should be at the bone level.
Patients and dentists need to be aware that the tissue surrounding an implant is going to be more prone to inflammation than other tissue in the mouth. This means they need to take careful care of the gums surrounding the implant, and also watch it carefully for any signs of problems.
Patients need to be very attentive to the care of their dental implants at home. Brushing after every meal, flossing once per day, and using an antiseptic mouthwash are all good ideas to help keep the gum tissue surrounding an implant healthy. Dentists need to monitor their patients for signs of poor oral care at home, and instruct them carefully as to what they should be doing to keep their gum tissue healthy.
It is very important that patients are careful to brush the backside of the teeth as well as the front. This is sometimes problematic, especially when an implant is involved, because it is harder to reach and almost impossible to see. Often, using a toothbrush with a bent handle is a good idea when working hard to clean an implant well.
If the implant has abutments, these need to be brushed and flossed as well. Position the implant so that the abutments are exposed, then brush the surrounding area. Floss from the front and back. This will prevent any plaque or tartar buildup on this important part of your dental implants.
The surface of the implant may be more fragile than the surface of a regular tooth. For this reason, dentists and hygienists need to use the proper instruments when working on a patient with an implant. Stainless steel and graphite are too harsh. Instead, titanium, plastic, and even ultrasonic instruments are a better choice. Pits and scratches on an implant give plaque a perfect place to stick and grow.
An implant is designed to replace a permanent tooth, but it will not function fully like a permanent tooth and requires special care. Remember, caring for dental implants has to be a team effort. The patient needs to do his or her job at home to take care of the implants, and the team at the dentist's office needs to be vigilant in ensuring proper care is taken of the implant in the office. By working together in this way, they can see the implant last for many years, just as a natural tooth would.
Some of the care comes at the professional level. Every time a patient returns to a dentist's office for an appointment, the implant needs to be carefully evaluated. Any signs of inflammation, bleeding, or changes in probing depth need to be noted and considered. It is usually a good idea to take x-rays of the dental implants to insure that they are as they should be at the bone level.
Patients and dentists need to be aware that the tissue surrounding an implant is going to be more prone to inflammation than other tissue in the mouth. This means they need to take careful care of the gums surrounding the implant, and also watch it carefully for any signs of problems.
Patients need to be very attentive to the care of their dental implants at home. Brushing after every meal, flossing once per day, and using an antiseptic mouthwash are all good ideas to help keep the gum tissue surrounding an implant healthy. Dentists need to monitor their patients for signs of poor oral care at home, and instruct them carefully as to what they should be doing to keep their gum tissue healthy.
It is very important that patients are careful to brush the backside of the teeth as well as the front. This is sometimes problematic, especially when an implant is involved, because it is harder to reach and almost impossible to see. Often, using a toothbrush with a bent handle is a good idea when working hard to clean an implant well.
If the implant has abutments, these need to be brushed and flossed as well. Position the implant so that the abutments are exposed, then brush the surrounding area. Floss from the front and back. This will prevent any plaque or tartar buildup on this important part of your dental implants.
The surface of the implant may be more fragile than the surface of a regular tooth. For this reason, dentists and hygienists need to use the proper instruments when working on a patient with an implant. Stainless steel and graphite are too harsh. Instead, titanium, plastic, and even ultrasonic instruments are a better choice. Pits and scratches on an implant give plaque a perfect place to stick and grow.
An implant is designed to replace a permanent tooth, but it will not function fully like a permanent tooth and requires special care. Remember, caring for dental implants has to be a team effort. The patient needs to do his or her job at home to take care of the implants, and the team at the dentist's office needs to be vigilant in ensuring proper care is taken of the implant in the office. By working together in this way, they can see the implant last for many years, just as a natural tooth would.
