If you have dental implants, you should basically treat them like your normal teeth. You should brush twice daily, floss every day, and see your dentist regularly.
But you should take a little more care around the implant, as should your hygienist.
Avoiding Receding Gums around Dental Implants
Dental implants are made of titanium, which fuses very well with your bone. Your gum tissue is a little more finicky, and it can be hard to retain the original shape of your gums, which is good not just for health but also for optimal cosmetic results.
To avoid disturbing your gums too much around dental implants, make sure you brush your gums very gently with a soft-bristled brush. Make sure you ease dental floss down between the teeth. Curve it gently around the base of the dental crown–get it in as far down as it will go, but don’t work too hard to force it, as this can disturb or irritate the gums.
Hygiene Visits
A gentle touch should also be used by your dental hygienist. Always make sure the hygienist knows which teeth are implants. If the hygienist doesn’t know you and you don’t see them looking at your chart or x-rays, mention the implants. Aggressive probing by the hygienist (or the dentist, for that matter) should be avoided. Nonmetallic scalers are preferred here, too. Ultrasonic scalers can be used if they have a soft tip.
If your hygienist flosses you, make sure they use an appropriately gentle touch. For final polishing, they should use an appropriate polishing paste–as fine and gentle as possible.
The best thing is to try to avoid having any tartar on your implants. This means better home care from you, and more regular visits to the dentist. How often is necessary depends on your situation. Some can get away with the usual twice a year. Others may need to come to the dentist three or four times a year to minimize tartar.
If you are looking for dental implants in Orange County, please call (949) 551-5902 for an appointment with an implant dentist at Rice Dentistry in Irvine.
