Proper Maintenance of Dental Implants

Dental implants are something you want to last your lifetime, especially after all of the money and time as a patient you put into their placement. Dental implants mimic natural teeth and therefore need to be cared for in much the same way as your original teeth do. In other words they require regular brushing, flossing, check ups and cleanings at the dentist and a careful consideration of what foods can help as well as harm them. For instance too much starch and sugar can leave behind traces of material on the teeth that can cause acids to develop on teeth and gums which can serve to cause damage in the long term.

Proper maintenance of dental implants should become an important part of your day to day routine. This can be accomplished by developing excellent oral hygiene habits. Remember, if you want your dental implants to last, you must take exceptional care of them.

A healthy mouth is a clean mouth, as free of bacteria and plaque as possible therefore if you don’t do it already, get into the habit of brushing your teeth after every meal. Even if you don’t always use toothpaste during a busy workday, just using a toothbrush and water will still get your teeth clean. Not only will they look sparkly white but also you will dislodge any food particles that are trapped between the teeth and in the gums.

As far as the kind of toothpaste that is best for those who have dental implants, look for a small sized toothbrush or a special interdental brush that can be used to easily clean the abutments of the implants. Look for a toothbrush with a bent handle as this type is best used to get behind the back teeth to clean the, aforementioned, abutments. The type of toothbrush you buy should always be a gentle one. Look for a brush that is either “soft” or “extra soft” in terms of the bristle. Never buy a hard bristled toothbrush nor a medium bristled one, as they are too abrasive to gums and teeth. Brushing is important but not enough. Next comes the flossing stage Buy a special floss that contains a foam coating or else use gauze to properly clean around your abutments, prosthetic teeth and gums. For a super clean result you might want to first use the floss and then run the gauze over the areas afterwards.

When it comes to the process of brushing your teeth if you have a removable prosthesis, take it out of your mouth and proceed to carefully brush both the inside and outside of the appliance. After that is done, take your toothbrush and brush around your gums as well as the abutments. Finally use dental floss around the abutments.

If you have a fixed prosthesis (meaning it stays in your mouth) then brush it exactly as you would natural teeth. Take the brush and reach it in behind the teeth to thoroughly clean the backside of the abutments. Next take your dental floss and floss around the area of the abutments. Make sure to floss the front, sides and back of the abutments.

Just as natural teeth require check ups at the dentist, so do dental implants. Make a trip to the dentist at least every six mouth to have the implants professionally checked and cleaned. At this time the dentist will determine whether or not it is fitting properly in your mouth and any repairs that need to be made can be done so at this time. Also during these six-month appointments the health of a patient’s gums and jaws will be looked at as well as how stabile the anchors of the implants are. By Stephanie Dilson