4 indispensable appliances to keep your implant teeth clean
Dr. D.Sendhil Nathan MDS, DNB Prosthodontics And Implantology
Whether you have a single missing tooth or edentulous mouth, implant teeth will cater to your dental restoration needs exceptionally. As the dental implants are inserted directly into the jaw bone, they fuse with the natural bone and guarantee a top-notch level of stability and functionality.
Even though the teeth implants are incredibly strong and can last for years, they are also vulnerable to infectious conditions like peri-implantitis. It is triggered by the bacterial invasion on supporting bone and tissues in gums. Hence it is pivotal to keep the implant teeth clean to prolong their longevity.
Dental implantologists would share tips to keep the implants clean and hygienic once the implantation is completed. In this post, we have shared the important oral hygiene appliances that aid you in cleaning implant teeth.
1) Tufted brush
Even though soft-bristled regular toothbrushes are also applicable in cleaning implants, they cannot clean the hard-to-reach areas. Hence tufted brushes are recommended.
The tufted brushes have angled necks so that the bristles can effectively reach the abutment areas. The prosthetic devices like crowns, dentures are mounted over the implant post with the help of a connective agent called an abutment. It is located close to the gum margins. Accumulation of microbes around this region will affect the soft tissues in gums.
As these brushes hold soft bristles, slim heads, and flexible necks, they can disinfect the contagions in hard-to-reach surfaces like abutments.
2) Interdental Brush
The interdental brushes are typically recommended for people who feel hard to floss. Be it natural teeth or implant teeth, you should clean the tiny spaces between your teeth. The bristles of regular toothbrushes cannot access these regions. Hence interdental brushes are required. It is often useful in brushing teeth while wearing orthodontic braces.
Implant doctors recommend brushing with tufted brushes and interdental brushes are mandatory to ensure the fixed teeth are clean and safe.
3) Implant-specific floss
For certain types of implants, flossing is essential to clean the region between the implant and gums. However, you cannot use regular flossing wire because it would cause scratches over the implant teeth surfaces. Instead, the implant-specific flossing wires are thick, unwaxed, and have stiff ends henceforth the implant damages will not occur.
4) Oral irrigators
Oral irrigators, also known as Water pic allow you to clean the implant teeth thoroughly and prevent plaque build-up. If you received full mouth rehabilitation solutions or all-on-4 implants, then you should clean the fixed teeth surfaces with oral irrigators regularly.
Bottom line
Even though the implanted teeth are artificial and cannot infect with bacteria, the surrounding bone and tissues are susceptible to microbial attacks. So you should take care of the fixed implants as well as the natural teeth. Otherwise, the implants become loosened and eventually come out.
We have shared a few of the dental tools that endorse implant teeth cleaning activities. Feel free to contact our dental implant specialists if you want additional tips for implant maintenance.
