Dental Implants - Daily Care

Daily Care for your Dental Implants

Receiving implant teeth brings back the esthetics and function you once experienced with your natural teeth. Just as well as natural teeth, implants require regular maintenance care to ensure a healthy tissue environment. Your toothbrush is the key to a confident and bright dental future. It is just as important to clean the removable prosthesis as it is to clean your natural teeth. When using toothpaste, a small amount of low-abrasive toothpaste used with the brush is recommended.

The implants and prosthesis must be thoroughly cleaned daily if they are to be a long-term success. It is therefore a good idea to follow a routine each time you brush your mouth, to ensure that all surfaces are cleaned.

Single-Tooth Dental Implants Daily Care

IMPORTANT AREAS TO CLEAN


✔ Your implant-supported tooth

✔ Above and below the gumline

✔ In between your neighboring teeth

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

    1. Toothbrush
  • It may be necessary to modify the brush for the inner side of the teeth and hard-to-reach areas. A power brush can be a good alternative and an easy-to-handle complement. If you have a bridge, make sure to clean under the bridge.
 
    2. End-tufted Brush
  • A soft end-tufted brush (interspace brush) is suitable for hard-to-reach areas around your implantsupported tooth or the lingual surfaces (inner side of teeth) and around the implant posts facial side (outer side) of your implantsupported teeth.
    3. Interdental brush
  • The use of an interdental brush (interproximal brush) helps in cleaning the sides of the implant-supported tooth, crown, abutment posts and the surface under the bridge. Use the brush with a back-and-forth stroke, gently pressing it against the side of the implant-supported tooth or abutment posts.
    The brush should not be too small, decreasing the cleaning effect, or too big, causing discomfort when brushing. A plastic-coated threading is recommended. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for advice on the technique, size and shape for your interdental brush.
    Note: Never use toothpaste in combination with the interdental brush.
    4. Floss
  • In narrow areas, where the interdental brush is hard to use, floss is recommended. Clean the sides of your implantsupported tooth and abutment posts by passing floss (thick floss) back and forth between the implant tooth and the neighboring teeth, or through the space next to the abutment posts. Clean the bridge adjacent to the gumline using a sideways stroke.

Implant Bridge Daily Care

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

    1. Toothbrush
  • It may be necessary to modify the brush for the inner side of the teeth and hard-to-reach areas. A power brush can be a good alternative and an easy-to-handle complement. If you have a bridge, make sure to clean under the bridge.
 
    2. End-tufted Brush
  • A soft end-tufted brush (interspace brush) is suitable for hard-to-reach areas around your implantsupported tooth or the lingual surfaces (inner side of teeth) and around the implant posts facial side (outer side) of your implantsupported teeth.
    3. Interdental brush
  • The use of an interdental brush (interproximal brush) helps in cleaning the sides of the implant-supported tooth, crown, abutment posts and the surface under the bridge. Use the brush with a back-and-forth stroke, gently pressing it against the side of the implant-supported tooth or abutment posts.
    The brush should not be too small, decreasing the cleaning effect, or too big, causing discomfort when brushing. A plastic-coated threading is recommended. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for advice on the technique, size and shape for your interdental brush.
    Note: Never use toothpaste in combination with the interdental brush.
    4. Floss
  • In narrow areas, where the interdental brush is hard to use, floss is recommended. Clean the sides of your implantsupported tooth and abutment posts by passing floss (thick floss) back and forth between the implant tooth and the neighboring teeth, or through the space next to the abutment posts. Clean the bridge adjacent to the gumline using a sideways stroke.

Implant Overdenture (Bar Attachment) Daily Care

IMPORTANT AREAS TO CLEAN


✔ Abutment Posts (the metal posts attaching the denture to your jaw) and Bar

✔ Underneath the Prosthesis

✔ Areas around the Gums

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

    1. Brushing the Prosthesis (Artificial Teeth)
  • Clean the prosthesis and its attachments carefully, including the underneath area, using a denture brush or a regular toothbrush. A power brush can be a good alternative and an easy-to-handle complement.
 
  • Other important areas to clean are the gum side of the prosthesis, where the attachment fits over the bar abutments.
 
    2. Brushing the Bar Abutment
  • Clean the gum side surface using a soft regular toothbrush. Additional attention should be paid to the abutment posts and bar in the mouth.
    Note: Never use a denture brush in your mouth.
 
    3. End-tufted Brush
  • A soft end-tufted brush (interspace brush) is suitable for cleaning the areas around the abutment posts.
 
    4. Interdental Brush
  • The use of an interdental brush (interproximal brush) helps in cleaning the sides of the abutment posts and the surface of the bar. An interdental brush with plasticcoated threading is recommended. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for advice on the technique, size and shape for your brush.
    Note:Never use toothpaste in combination with the interdental brush.
 
    5. Floss
  • Clean the abutment posts by passing floss (thick floss) around them.“Shoe-shine” the posts by passing the floss from side to side, polishing from top to bottom and allowing the floss to slip under the gumline. Follow this procedure for each abutment post. Make sure to pass floss around the bar with vertical movements.

Implant Overdenture (Ball Attachment) Daily Care

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

    1. Brushing the Prosthesis (Artificial Teeth)
  • Clean the prosthesis and its attachments carefully, including the underneath area, using a denture brush or a regular toothbrush. A power brush can be a good alternative and an easy-to-handle complement.
 
  • Other important areas to clean are the gum side of the prosthesis, where the attachment fits over the ball abutments.
 
    2. Brushing the Ball Abutment
  • Clean the gum side surface using a soft regular toothbrush. Additional attention should be paid to the abutment posts and bar in the mouth.
    Note: Never use a denture brush in your mouth.
 
    3. End-tufted Brush
  • A soft end-tufted brush (interspace brush) is suitable for cleaning the areas around the abutment posts.
 
    4. Interdental Brush
  • The use of an interdental brush (interproximal brush) helps in cleaning the sides of the abutment posts and the surface of the bar. An interdental brush with plasticcoated threading is recommended. Ask your dentist or dental hygienist for advice on the technique, size and shape for your brush.
    Note:Never use toothpaste in combination with the interdental brush.