The Care of Dental Implants

For people who have dental implants, good oral care is even more important than for a person with healthy natural teeth. Protruding parts of the implant (abutments) and dental implant crowns need to be thoroughly cleaned daily. This applies not only in the early period after the implant is placed but during the full lifetime of the dental implant.

Before a dental implant procedure, we will teach you the basic skills of good hygiene and oral care, for both temporary and permanent dental implants. It is important that the growth of microorganisms be prevented for the long life of dental implants and therefore cleaning with manual, electronic and other methods plus antimicrobial therapy are often used.

If you allow food and plaque to accumulate and increase the bacteria, it will lead not only to reduced dental implant life, but also damage to the health of neighboring teeth. As a dentist in Encino with substantial experience Dr. Melnick has personally seen failures of implants because of poor oral hygiene

The dental care after dental implant procedure is especially important in the morning and evening, because at night the production of saliva is reduced, so there is less antibacterial activity present. You must have healthy gums, and need to be sure microbial plaque and dental tartar are completely and thoroughly removed at least daily.

In the postoperative period of dental implant procedure it is very important to follow our instructions. Take all prescribed medications (antibiotics, anesthetics), and keep diet recommendations. Dieting in this case involves taking soft, liquid or pureed food, which is minimally traumatic, rich in nutrients, vitamins and micro elements. The diet should be followed during the entire dental implant treatment period and for two weeks after the permanent dental implants are placed.

During this period the soft tissues are highly vulnerable, and therefore hygienic care of temporary dental implant should be carried out using a toothbrush with soft bristles for best results. Brush your teeth cautiously, minimally traumatizing the seams, 2-3 times a day, using an antiseptic solution such as Listerine. In his Encino dental office Dr. Melnick often recommends Listerine or a stronger prescription rinse called Peridex.

The implant abutment, the crown and the surface of the implant adjacent to the gum are the areas needing most attention when cleaning. Cleaning should be carried out in front of a large mirror and good light. Encino dentist Allan Melnick DDS places heavy emphasis on care after implant placement which he believes is essential for success.

You will need several dental accessories for cleaning dental implants including brush, floss, and super floss. We will help you locate the necessary items in the Encino, Tarzana, Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills areas. When cleaning the sides of the protruding parts of the implant and the lower surface one should pass dental floss or super floss into the space between the abutments and around them and remove plaque from the sides and back of the dental implant abutment. You can apply toothpaste to your dental floss since it allows you to gently polish the surface of implant abutment.

The bottom dental implant surface also requires thorough cleaning. Cleaning of the bottom surface of the dental implant is also carried out with floss coated with toothpaste. In this case, a back and forth movements must be used with the floss. For these purposes, you can also use the super floss or interdental proxy brush. In this case, toothpaste also has a protective and soothing effect and helps to clean the teeth more effectively.

After cleaning dental implants thoroughly rinse your mouth with water or mouth wash. Rinsing will help remove bacteria and bits of food that were removed from the surfaces of the mouth in the process of cleaning, but still remained in the oral cavity.

It is essential to carefully avoid gum disease that will reduce the more long-term success of your dental implants. Although dentists in Encino, Tarzana, Sherman Oaks and Woodland Hills place implants, we feel our complete and especially thorough full program is the most successful.