Clean & Maintain Dental Implants

Proper cleaning and maintenance of dental implants, and the tissues that support and surround them, is a very important part of prolonging the life of dental implants. While implants can be cleaned the same way as natural teeth, they also require custom clinical care for two specific reasons: dental implants attach to the bone and gums in the mouth in a very particular way, and they are made from unique materials that differ greatly from the materials that make up the natural teeth.

The natural teeth are attached to the jawbone with a periodontal ligament, which is a collection of tiny fibers that connect the tooth root to the bone and attach the tooth to the gum tissue. The periodontal ligament is rich with blood and nutrients, keeping the teeth and gums alive and working to resist infection. Dental implants do not have this attachment ligament and are instead fused directly with the bone tissue in the jaw. In fact, this connection between the bone and the implant is the key to implant success; the bone fuses to the implant while it heals, in a process called osseointegration, which creates a permanent bond between the implant and the bone. Above the implant, there is an abutment that serves as a platform for the dental crown. The abutment is held in place by the connective fibers of the gums, and the gums naturally adhere to the dental crown.

When gum disease affects the natural teeth, infection causes the periodontal ligament to gradually detach from the bone and the tooth, resulting in tooth mobility and eventually in tooth loss. When gum disease is present in the tissue surrounding dental implants, infection leads directly to bone loss, which can be rapid and catastrophic. When the bone surrounding an implant degrades rapidly, the implant loosens and will fall out. The best way to prevent gum disease is with effective oral hygiene, and this is true with both natural teeth and implants. Bacterial plaque accumulates on dental crowns the same way it accumulates on the natural teeth, and it should be removed daily with proper brushing and flossing. Professional cleanings and dental visits are an important part of preventing gum disease, too, as only dental professionals can remove tartar, or hardened plaque, from the surfaces of the teeth and below the gumline. Dental hygienists use specialized tools that clean debris, biofilm, and tartar without damaging the lustrous surface of the dental crown or harming the mechanics of the abutment. These tools are similar to those used for a professional teeth cleaning, but they are made of plastics and resins that won’t scratch or harm the synthetic surfaces of dental implants and dental crowns. Dental hygienists can also use ultrasonic instruments that are fitted with protective sheaths to reduce the likelihood of implant damage, allowing them to thoroughly clean any areas of inflammation or infection. The prevention of gum disease and infection around a dental implant is key to its long-term success, and keeping implants and surrounding tissues clean is among the most effective ways to prevent gum disease and infection and ensure the long-term success of dental implants.