The dental hygienist has an important role to play in keeping dental implants disease-free. Traditional dental hygiene scalers used on natural teeth can scratch a crown, abutment, or implant, so your hygienist will instead use special scalers made of plastics and resins to thoroughly clean without causing damage.
Implant recipients also play a significant role in the success of their own restoration and must be motivated to take care of the implant. Here’s how to provide the best care at home.
For Single Implants
- Clean at least twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush
- Use a low-abrasive toothpaste
- Brush under and around the implant crown
- Use a nylon coated inter-dental brush to clean hard-to-reach places
- Floss daily
- Use a recommended oral irrigator (either with Rx or warm salt water)
For Implant Over-Dentures
- Remove denture daily and soak in solution with denture cleansing tablet for recommended time
- Inspect O-rings, locator caps, and clips and alert your dentist if worn or missing
- Gently brush the underside of the denture with a denture brush. No toothpaste.
- Rinse over-denture thoroughly with water before placing it into your mouth
- Talk with your dentist about replacing O-rings and locator caps once or twice a year depending on your eating habits.
Implants are a profoundly successful medical procedure despite the atypical cleaning challenges they present. The prevention of peri-implant disease is paramount to implant health and function. How you care for your implant is an important part of success.
