How to Take Care of Your New Dental Implants

Whether you’ve just received a single dental implant or an implant-retained bridge or denture, you can expect many benefits that you wouldn’t find with traditional tooth replacements. Easier chewing, better esthetics, true longevity, and improved blood flow all accompany dental implants, but you’ll still need to stay dedicated to your oral hygiene. While restorations used for dental implants in Green Lake cannot develop decay, it’s essential that you know the right steps for maintaining them. Keep reading to learn how to properly maintain single implants, implant-retained bridges and dentures!

Cleaning Your Single Dental Implants

Make sure to brush your dental implants at least twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a low-abrasive toothpaste. A good example of this is Cleanadent® Paste, which is safe enough to remove harmful bacteria without the use of harsh chemicals. Pay close attention to the area below the implant crown. Furthermore, it helps dramatically to use a nylon coated interdental brush so you can clean the hard-to-reach places. When flossing, use an unwaxed tape or implant-specific floss as these are easier to use. An oral irrigator can also work to loosen food debris and bacteria under your implant restoration.

In addition to at-home maintenance, it’s important to maintain routine exams and cleanings with a dentist once every six months. This also gives you a chance to confirm that no issues are developing with your dental implant once it has been placed.

Cleaning Your Implant-Retained Bridge

When cleaning your implant-supported bridge, keep in mind that these methods are largely similar to cleaning a traditional bridge. For example, it’s very important to keep the abutments of your implants clean and should be done in front of a good-sized mirror. This means you’ll need to use either super floss (a specific type of floss ideal for cleaning implants and braces) or an interdental brush to clean the surfaces underneath the restorations affixed to your implants. Using a soft bristled toothbrush prevents you from accidentally damaging your dental implant or restoration as well.

If you have a full fixed arch of teeth supported by dental implants, the same oral care technique applies.

Cleaning Your Implant-Retained Denture

When cleaning an implant-retained denture that is removable, start by removing the denture and brushing it with a single-tuft toothbrush. Single-tuft toothbrushes are smaller and make cleaning the tight areas of your denture easier. It also makes it easier to clean the abutments, which is one of the most important areas you need to keep clean. If you’ve had a denture in the past, you’ll find that the cleaning process is relatively similar with a removable implant-retained denture. After thoroughly brushing it with your brush and cleaning solutions, keep the denture soaking in water when not in use.

Do you need help adjusting to your dental implants? Not sure if you’re practicing proper at-home care? Schedule an appointment with a dentist in Green Lake for more guidance!