Clean and Maintain Dental Implants
If you have dental implants, you may notice that your dental hygienist uses different tools and instruments to clean the dental crowns and implants than they use to clean your natural teeth. Cleaning implants and the area around them necessitates a different set of tools for two main reasons. The first reason is that dental implants are made of materials that are very different from the natural teeth, necessitating a different set of cleaning instruments. The second reason is that dental implants are attached to the mouth in a very different way than natural teeth. Dental crowns, which are the visible tooth portion of the dental implant, are attached to the dental implant fixture, which serves as a replacement root for the tooth. The implant fixture fuses to the bone as it heals after being surgically placed, forming a sturdy and durable anchor for the dental crown. The crown or other dental prosthetic is connected to the implant with an abutment, and the implant itself is fused to the bone in the jaw. Above the implant, where the abutment contacts the gum tissue, strong collagen fiber holds the gum tissue to the surface of the dental crown, and specialized tissue called the epithelial attachment suctions to the highly polished surface of the implant crown. This is very different from how a natural tooth is attached in the mouth. Natural teeth are attached to the bone in which they rest by a periodontal ligament that is made up of a collection of tiny fibers that connect the tooth to the bone and the tooth root. These fibers also attach the tooth to the gum tissue. In addition to attaching the tooth to the periodontium, the periodontal ligament is full of blood vessels, through which it delivers blood cells and nutrients to the tooth, helping the tooth, the ligament, and the surrounding tissues remain healthy and vital and resist infection.
It is imperative to keep the oral cavity clean, whether the teeth are natural or whether they are implant-supported restorations, primarily because both the natural teeth and dental implants rely on the health of the surrounding tissues to keep them stable and functional. Bacterial plaque accumulates on both the natural teeth and on dental crowns, and it should be removed regularly with daily brushing and flossing. To remove plaque that may have been missed in brushing and flossing, and to remove calculus that may accumulate above and below the gum line, regular professional cleaning is also important, and your dental hygienist will select appropriate tools to clean your dental implants based on the type, quantity, and quality of debris that is present, the location of the debris, and the type of material that is used to make the dental crown or other prosthetic. Dental hygienists must use tools that will not damage the surfaces of the crowns or abutments or of the implants themselves. While there is certainly a cosmetic benefit to maintaining the smooth, polished surface of the implant components, there is also a medical benefit: materials that are scratched are more likely to foster the growth of bacteria. Dental hygienists therefore tend to choose cleaning instruments that are made of softer materials like resins or plastics when they are cleaning dental implants, whereas they may use metal instruments to clean natural teeth. Dental hygienists may also use power instruments that have protective sheaths or tips that cushion against damage to implant surfaces. These power-cleaning tools are especially helpful when a large amount of debris is present and may be accompanied by the use of an irrigation instrument that rinses away debris with either water or an antibacterial solution. Regular, effective cleaning can help ensure that your dental implants will provide you with a lifetime of satisfaction and comfort.