Hi everyone!
Dr Shervin with another blog from dental implants in simple language series from my dental tips series. I will be talking about the 4th or last stage of implant treatment or maintenance phase.
As you may know, after restoring the implant with crown or denture, now it’s time to maintain what has been done to ensure long lasting treatment results. All forms of dental treatments need proper maintenance ad implant treatment is not an exception.
The most important aspect of maintenance around dental implants is proper hygiene. There’s a myth about implants: people think hygiene is not a big concern because there is no natural tooth and dental decay is not a threat. It is true but there is something else which is even more threatening. Have you ever heard about Peri-implantitis? Peri-implantitis is the same as gum problem, but around implants instead of natural teeth. Due to the differences between implants and natural teeth, peri-implantitis is more aggressive than gum disease around natural teeth and could easily reduce the life span of an implant. If you have read the previous blogs on gum disease, you already know that bacteria are the primary cause of gum disease. This is why it’s really crucial to pay attention to hygiene around your dental implants.
But how? It is simple: normal brushing, flossing and in case of a bridge or fixed denture the use of a Pikster and super floss could help you clean the surroundings quite efficiently. Also the use of mouthwash is quite beneficial, but obviously is not a substitute for brushing and flossing.
Peri-implantitis is characterized by redness, puffiness, vague pain and discharge around dental implants. but in some cases, the sign and symptoms are so subtle the patient is not aware. This is the reason why as an implant patient, you need to be under constant supervision of your dentist. Your dentist evaluates the condition of tissues around implants on at least six-monthly intervals and takes X rays to check the level of bone around the implants to make sure everything is on the right track.
So, don’t be complacent. Follow the instructions closely and attend the hygiene sessions regularly.
Alright guys, like and share this blog if you found it interesting. Stick around for the next blog series on digital dentistry. It is a very exciting topic I am sure you never want to miss.
Have a great day and goodbye!
