What should you do if tartar builds up on dental implants?

Dental implants are close to natural teeth, and doctors generally recommend implants for middle-aged and older adults. Dental implants can restore oral function and make oral hygiene and cleaning convenient. But after long-term use, dental implants, like natural teeth, will develop tartar and plaque. So what should you do if tartar builds up on dental implants? Is a regular dental cleaning enough? Can dental implants be removed for cleaning?

Dental implants can be removed for cleaning

Normal teeth can be cleaned by scaling, and so can dental implants. So can they be removed for cleaning? There are different ways to handle dental implants with different fixation methods.Some can be removed, while others cannot be removed for cleaning. The details are as follows:

There are mainly three fixation methods for implant-supported dentures:

First, the denture is cemented onto the implant abutment with dental cement;

Second, the denture is tightened and connected to the implant abutment with screws;

Third, the denture is connected to the implant abutment with attachments (such as ball caps, bar attachments, magnets, etc.), and the patient can take it out and put it in by themselves.

Therefore, dental implants with the latter two connection methods can be removed for cleaning.

The cleaning methods for dental implants and ordinary teeth are different

Teeth need regular cleaning, which can not only remove bacteria in the mouth, but also remove plaque and tartar on the tooth surface, and can also prevent and treat periodontal disease. The same is true for dental implants. When the implant wound has completely healed and the patient has used it for a period of time without any problems, the patient does not need to worry at all and can go to the hospital for a dental cleaning.It is just that the cleaning methods for dental implants and ordinary teeth are different. When cleaning dental implants, a specially made stainless steel carbon instrument needs to be used.

Do a good job of daily cleaning of the mouth and dental implants

Poor oral hygiene can easily cause peri-implantitis. In addition to insisting on brushing teeth once each morning and evening and rinsing the mouth after meals, special attention should also be paid to the hygiene of the dental implant. The key areas for cleaning are the neck of the dental implant and the surrounding gum tissue.When brushing, choose a toothbrush with moderately soft bristles and rounded ends, use toothpaste containing a soft abrasive and warm water. When brushing, point the bristles at a 45-degree angle toward the root direction of the dental implant and press them at the junction between the dental implant and the gums, so that half of the bristles contact the dental implant and half press on the gums, and carefully brush each tooth in order.Brushing movements should be gentle to avoid the toothbrush directly irritating or damaging the gums around the dental implant. The proximal surfaces of the dental implant can be cleaned with auxiliary tools such as dental floss or interdental cleaners, and periodontal massage can also be done under the guidance of a doctor. Smoking increases the incidence of inflammation in the tissues around dental implants. Therefore, after implant surgery, patients should reduce smoking and it is best to quit smoking.

Dental implant cleaning is different from ordinary dental cleaning, so finally Dr. Yao Qiang of Debei Dental Implant would like to remind patients of a few more things: postoperative maintenance of dental implants is very important. Be sure to have dental cleanings regularly. The most important thing is to clean the gaps between teeth well and use dental floss correctly to prevent adjacent teeth from decaying. Only by carefully maintaining dental implants can they serve us for a long time! Okay, that is all for today's sharing. Thank you everyone for your support and attention!