Clean and Maintain Dental Implants
Patients with dental implants may notice that their dental hygienist uses special instruments when cleaning around their implants. The reasons that cleaning and maintenance around implants differ from natural teeth are twofold.
First, implants and natural teeth attach to the surrounding bone and gum tissue in different ways. Natural tooth roots attach to a bony socket surrounding them by the periodontal ligament. This ligament is made up of tiny fibers that connect the tooth to the bone and gum tissue. Because the blood vessels in the ligament supply nutrients and cells, it is better able to resist and combat infection.
Dental implants lack this attachment and are surgically imbedded into the jawbone to serve as replacement tooth roots for the lost teeth. Restorative bridges, crowns, or dentures are attached to the implant via a connective device known as an abutment. The effectiveness of the implant system depends on its attachment to bone and how well they fuse together.
The second reason cleaning and maintenance differs is because the materials used in implants are different than those in natural teeth. Titanium is commonly used for implant components whereas the restorative crown, bridge, or denture may be ceramic or porcelain. Because these materials are not as strong as natural tooth enamel, dental hygienists must use special instruments when cleaning implants.
Preventing Infection is Critical
Just as it is important with natural teeth, properly cleaning implant-supported tooth restorations is critical to their longevity and the patient’s overall oral health. Bacteria and plaque accumulate on implant crowns the same way they do natural teeth and should be removed at home on a daily basis. Failure to properly remove the biofilm can lead to an infection developing that could result in loss of the attachment holding the device in place. This can progress quickly, cause bone loss around the implant, and could lead to implant loss.
Dental hygienists play a vital role in helping keep dental implants clean and free of infection. When selecting the right cleaning instruments, they must consider the type of debris being removed, if the debris is hard (tartar) or soft (biofilm), the location of the debris, the surface on which it accumulated, and how difficult the deposits are to remove.
Special Tools for Cleaning Implants
Because the materials dental implants are made of are not as strong as natural teeth, special instruments must be used by the dental hygienist to ensure they do not damage the restoration. This is particularly true for ensuring the smooth, polished surfaces of the abutment and crown are maintained as scratching these surfaces can attract bacteria and allow them to thrive. As such, the hygienist will use special instruments, called curettes and scalers, to clean the implants. Unlike metal instruments that can be used on natural teeth, scalers and curettes are often made of plastics.
Ultrasonic devices can also be used that implement high-frequency vibrations to remove debris. These instruments are often used on low power settings along with water irrigation and antibacterial solutions to flush away debris.