Dental Implant Maintenance In Cherry Hill, NJ
In a nutshell, dental implant maintenance differs from caring for natural teeth for two reasons: the first is that both implants and natural teeth attach to surrounding bone and gums in a very different way; secondly, the materials used for dental implants are different from natural teeth. Essentially, dental implants replace teeth roots and dental crowns, dental bridges, or dentures are attached to the implants through a connector piece known as an abutment. This is why proper implant care and maintenance is so important for long-term success.
Cleaning implant-supported tooth replacements is just as important as cleaning natural teeth, as both depend on healthy surrounding tissues for support. Plaque collects on implant crowns just as it does on natural teeth and must be removed daily at home with proper flossing and brushing. If you are wondering how to clean dental implants or how do you clean dental implants, our team can guide you through a proper dental implant hygiene routine. Without daily care, an infection may develop known as peri-implantitis which can result in the loss of the implant. Unlike inflammation around teeth, this reaction can be quite catastrophic, quickly leading to bone loss after dental implants around the affected implant which can rapidly progress to the loss of the implant itself.
Our dental hygiene team has an important role to play in keeping dental implants infection-free, and there are many factors to be considered in selecting the right instruments for a professional dental implant cleaning. In order to choose the most effective dental instruments possible, we must perform an oral exam to better understand the nature of the debris, the location of the deposits, the type of surface on which the debris accumulates, and the stubbornness with which they adhere. This helps support proper plaque removal from dental implants and overall dental implant tissue health maintenance.
Our team must select instruments for cleaning that will not impact the crown, bridge, denture, abutment, or the implant itself. This is especially important when cleaning implant supported crowns and bridges or providing implant supported denture cleaning. Maintaining the highly polished, smooth surface of the abutment and attachment are critical. If they are scratched, they can attract and harbor bacteria. This makes maintaining implant abutment surface an essential part of implant care. That is why the instruments used are most often made of plastics and resins. Natural teeth do not scratch in the same way, and therefore metal instruments can be used to clean them. If you have ever wondered how do dentists clean implants, this careful instrument selection is an important part of the process.
If any part of the implant body itself is visible, this may mean there is infection that has resulted in gum and/or bone loss. Patients should also watch for implant infection signs or implant inflammation symptoms, such as swelling, tenderness, bleeding, or changes around the implant site. The implant surface becomes exposed following loss of its fusion to the bone. Implant surfaces are generally microscopically “roughened” to increase surface area for bone attachment. But this surface roughness makes implants difficult to clean and disinfect. Additionally, some implants are screw-shaped, and their threads add to the cleaning dilemma. These challenges are why dental implant aftercare and regular maintenance visits are important.
Despite these special cleaning challenges, implants are highly successful. In fact, studies indicate long-term success rates are well over 95%. However, the prevention of peri-implantitis is fundamental to implant health, maintenance, and function. If you are wondering how often should implants be cleaned, what is dental implant maintenance, can dental implants get infected, or what happens if implants are not cleaned, our team can help you understand the right schedule for your needs. Proper home care and professional visits can help support peri implantitis treatment and prevention, reduce the risk of implant failure due to poor hygiene, and show you how to prevent peri implantitis. And cleaning implants and their related components is an important part of their success.