Caring for your dental implants

Dental Implants restore your chewing ability despite tooth loss due to tooth decay, an accident or even periodontal issues. If you now have implant-supported dentures which are securely anchored into the mouth, they offer you the highest standards of aesthetically-pleasing results possible. These dental restorations renew your personal comfort and confidence in so many aspects of your everyday life at work and at home so treasure them by caring for them with a commitment to undertaking a thorough oral hygiene routine from this point on.

Bacteria: a key risk to both your dental implants and to your general health

Did you know that the metabolic products of bacteria can attack not only teeth but your dental implants, too? Bacteria builds up between the teeth or implants and the gums and can penetrate the rest of the body from this location. In severe cases, such bacteria accumulation can increase the risk of strokes, heart attacks, diabetes and lung infections. To stop the bacteria, the body reacts by sending inflammatory molecules to the gums and bones to defend it from attack. Over time, this response endangers the stability of your dental implant.

Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss: the toolkit you need to properly care for your dental implants at home

Please be aware from the start that not only your remaining natural teeth but your dental implants require regular care. To thoroughly remove the bacteria which develops, you will need to brush them twice a day, minimum. Each cleaning session should be two to three minutes long. The oral hygiene practice you should adopt to care for your teeth and implant supported restorations is similar, but dental implants, like All-on-4 dental implants, have some special features which you need to consider.

We appreciate that the comprehensive range of dental care products now available in retail outlets can seem overwhelming at first. The selection of toothbrushes alone from which you can choose your ideal model has multiplied in recent years due to both the growing popularity and the advancing technological development of electric toothbrushes. Know that good results can be achieved with soft manual toothbrushes, but electric toothbrushes have proven to be advantageous in many tests thanks to the rapid rotation of the brush head and the low-pressure application – even with dental implants.

When choosing the right toothpaste, we recommend that you select gels without coarse particles as they are gentle to the dental implant crown material which is made from ceramic. You should also include the use of dental floss or interdental brushes. The so-called “Superfloss,” which slightly differs from normal dental floss as it has stiffened ends and a fluffy centre, ensures that the implants are cleaned more thoroughly. Consult your dentist for the best professional advice and top tips to care for your dental implants as he is in the best position to know the specifics of your teeth in your individual patient case plus your individual risk of developing periodontal disease.

Commit to a regular schedule of professional cleans of your dental implants

Visually check on the condition of your dental implants daily. If you discover plaque on your dental implants, the gums turn dark red or begin to bleed, then it is time to book an appointment to seek professional advice, cleansing and care. At this point, bacteria could already be damaging your remaining teeth as well as your dental implants. Know that a visit to the dentist gives you certainty: he will examine you and possibly recommend a professional implant cleaning to improve oral hygiene.

We appreciate that bacteria present cleaning challenges at home as they tend to gather together in areas difficult to access like interdental spaces within the molar region at the back of the mouth. The professional implant cleaning performed in clinic helps to remove plaque and tartar. It is a similar technique as the one used when one of our expert hygienists performs professional teeth cleaning, but special devices are used so as to protect the dental implant surfaces.

Regular visits to the dentist have another advantage for you and for your dental implants: your dentist can identify inflammation in the early stages. This makes it possible to intervene in good time, improve oral hygiene and preserve your dental implants.

We encourage all our valued patients with the idea that thoroughly cleaning both your teeth and your dental implants is worthwhile: as with careful care, your dental implants can last a lifetime!