Dental Implant Oral Hygiene & Patient Aftercare
As with natural dentition, dental implant/prosthesis are susceptible to plaque build-up which may have a detrimental affect on the long term success of the prosthesis.
It is therefore of vital importance that the patient is carefully instructed on the importance of regular check-ups and ‘home care’. Following insertion of the final prosthesis the patient should be instructed in the routine for home care.
When instructing patients how to maintain their implant supported prosthesis it should be remembered that some patients may not have had natural teeth for some time. Therefore individualised and thorough instruction on ‘how to clean’ should be developed for each patient.
This may include the recommendation of certain toothbrushes, mouth rinses, dental floss or interdental cleaning aids.
Titanium is a soft metal and therefore the use of abrasive toothpastes or instruments which may scratch the abutment should be avoided.
In addition to ‘home care’ it is recommended that the patient be checked regularly in the first 12 months after prosthesis insertion. The dentist would include in the check-up the stability of the prosthesis, the occlusion, surrounding soft tissues and the patient’s ability to maintain a high level of ‘at home’ oral hygiene.
