The success of dental implant treatment is indisputable. It exceeds 90% of effectiveness in young and adult patients. However, to prolong the useful life of the implants and avoid problems of different nature, it is essential to perform the proper professional and regular maintenance.
We will talk about it below.
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Rejection of dental implants due to improper hygiene
With proper maintenance of dental implants it is possible to avoid problems of peri-implantitis or functional overload. A condition that leads to late rejection of the implants.
Hence the importance of dental check-ups and proper health education. Both tools make it possible to identify and resolve possible defects in the shortest possible time.
Remember that unlike natural teeth, dental implants do not have a periodontal ligament. Therefore, they adhere directly to the alveolar bone, modifying the structure of the tissues and facilitating the colonization of periodontopathogenic bacteria.
On the other hand, it should be noted that since implants can break or loosen due to chewing force, the maintenance protocol prevents this type of damage in the long term. Improving the patient’s oral health considerably.
Maintenance of dental implants
Although there is no specific maintenance protocol, specialists apply a series of techniques taking into account the retention system and the number of fixations.
The purpose of this protocol is to control the patient’s bacterial plaque and to evaluate the implant treatment to check the level of satisfaction, comfort, esthetics and condition of the tissues surrounding the implant.
Maintenance visits
Consecutive visits for one year are essential and can be every three to four months at a minimum. Consider that during the first year the dentist will take care of:
- Assign control visits according to the most immediate needs.
- Inspect the tissue surrounding the implant to identify or rule out possible defects.
The probing technique is generally performed to estimate the state of health of the dental tissue surrounding the remaining natural teeth and the dental implant.
A plastic periodontal probe is used to protect the implant from any impact, and in other circumstances, a splint is used to relax the musculature and reduce the tension on the dental implants.
Hygiene and cleanliness
For the correct maintenance of dental implants, the use of a toothbrush, dental floss and mouth irrigator is essential. Three fundamental instruments for removing food debris and controlling bacterial colonization.
As we have indicated above, after the placement of dental implants it will be necessary to check the hygiene periodically in order to prevent pathologies around the implant and to extend the life of the implants.
Professional maintenance techniques
Professional maintenance techniques by the specialist may include:
- The disassembly of the prosthesis in order to properly sanitize.
- An analysis of plaque index, bleeding, bone loss and probing depth.
- General revision of the rest of the dental pieces.
- Control X-rays.
At each check-up, the professional will educate you on healthy habits, as well as provide key techniques and tools to optimize your oral health, taking into account the type of treatment.
More about hygiene at home
Although each case is different, it is possible to follow some general control and sanitation techniques:
- Use the mouth irrigator to improve oral hygiene.
- Comply with annual check-up visits so that the specialist can clean and check for loosening of screws.
- Comply with radiographic controls to evaluate the condition of the bone around the implants.
- Be careful about the foods you eat.
- In case of bruxism, place your unloading splint.
Prevention of pathologies due to the use of implants
The most common pathologies that can be avoided with proper implant maintenance are:
- Peri-implantitis.
- Abutment screw fracture.
- Soft tissue hyperplasia.
- Exposed implant threads.
- Loss of bone and occlusal contact.
The loosening of the dental implant mechanisms is the most frequent problem to be solved. This points to the improvement of the implant components and to the improvement of the adaptability.
For this reason, we recommend keeping radiographic records of the implant structures. This allows us to have an objective reference on the general state of the implants and their efficiency as a rehabilitative treatment.
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At SOFDental we can help you with the proper maintenance of your dental implants. And for more information about dental treatments in Tijuana, contact us.
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