Caring for Your Dental Implants

Dental implants are built to last, but their long-term success depends on how you care for them regularly.

Understanding the Biggest Threat to Your Implants

Peri-implantitis, a gum and bone condition similar to periodontal disease, is the leading threat to implant health. Unlike gum disease around natural teeth, peri-implantitis is more difficult to manage once it sets in. Even aggressive interventions, such as surgery and deep cleaning, only achieve a 53% success rate over five years.

That’s why daily care is absolutely essential. It’s far easier to protect your implant now than to try to repair the damage later.

Making Your Implant Care Easy

Maintaining your implants doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. In fact, just a few minutes a day can make all the difference. Here’s a quick guide to what you should focus on:

• Use a Pikster, once a day to gently clean around your implant
• Floss every day, using a flosser, ensuring a thorough up-and-down motion against each surface
• Brush twice daily, angling your brush at 45 degrees to sweep plaque away from the gumline

Each of these steps targets the spots where bacteria like to hide, keeping your gums healthy and your implant secure.

The Role of Regular Checkups

In addition to your normal routine, visiting Epping Family Dental every three to six months for professional cleaning and assessment can help catch minor issues before they become major problems. These visits are your safety net, complementing all your work at home.

Dr Jeremy Lung (Dentist) advises, “A couple of extra minutes a day can mean a lifetime of smiles.”