Dental Implants

HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS

If you have just had your implant prosthesis inserted or are considering an implant prosthesis, you may be wondering what procedures are necessary for the proper maintenance of your new prosthesis. Well, here's the whole story in a nutshell! The home care needed for dental implants is probably more important than that required for your natural teeth. The appliances that we fabricate on top of dental implants are wonders of engineering but unfortunately, can not be designed to be maintenance free. There are many areas around the implants and the prosthesis that need special attention to make sure that dental plaque does not accumulate. As with your own teeth, plaque, a sticky substance that adheres to teeth and is a breeding area for bacteria, must be removed at least every 12 hours to avoid potential periodontal ( peri-implant ) disease. What are the tools needed to combat peri-implant disease and how should they be implemented.

The care of your Implant Prosthesis consists of three steps:

1. Educating and training you about proper oral hygiene techniques.
   
   
2. Removal of plaque and calculus (tartar) on a regularly scheduled basis by your Hygienist.
   
   
3. Maintaining meticulous oral hygiene between your recall visits.
   
   

Home plaque control is a critical component of your implant care. The following devices have proved extremely helpful in plaque removal and as tools in the proper maintenance of dental implant/prostheses.

• Soft Toothbrush, End Tuft Brush, Proxy Brush™v
  
  
• Dental Floss( i.e. Post Care Dental Implant Floss, SuperFloss™ )
  
  
• Rotadent™
  
  
• Oral Irrigation Devices ( i.e. Water Pik™)
  
  
• Mouthwashes containing essential oils ( i.e. Listerine™ )
  
  

Individual Instruction sheets are available for each of the above mentioned cleaning aids. Your dentist and hygienist are also available to assist you in any way they can. Remember, it's not the tool that counts, but the elbow grease behind it.

The proper maintenance of your dental implant prosthesis must be a good blend of proper hygiene technique, appropriate instrumentation and adequate frequency. Your hygienist will suggest a suitable recall schedule for you based upon the complexity of your dental restoration. She or he will also demonstrate each and every technique so that you can become familiar with the tools that are required for implant care. Then it's up to you. With a little effort, your dental implant prosthesis can provide you with years of comfort, satisfaction and service.