Our Locations

Our Blog

Archive:

Tags

 

Dear Patients,

 We will be opening the office on Monday, May 4th for limited procedures.  We will be contacting you by phone to confirm your appointment and address your concerns.  We have implemented a new check in process.  Please call the office once you have arrived and remain in your car.  You will receive notification by phone once we re ready to begin your appointment.  Under social distancing guidelines please refrain from bringing additional family members to your appointment.  In addition to our normal infection control procedures we have added additional safety procedures to ensure your safety as well as our staff members.  If you would like additional information on our air purification system, please see our website, Facebook page or www.iqair.com.

Keep Your Implants Clean to Avoid a Damaging Gum Infection

By Bryan J. Roy D.D.S., M.S.D., P.C.
October 29, 2020
Category: Oral Health
KeepYourImplantsCleantoAvoidaDamagingGumInfection

After years battling disease, your troubled tooth reached its useful life's end. It's been extracted, and we've replaced it with a life-like dental implant. So now, as far as the implant goes, disease is no longer an issue…right?

Sorry, no—though not to the same degree as a natural tooth, an implant could be endangered by gum disease. Although the implant's materials can't be infected, the supporting gums and bone can.

In fact, there's a particular type of gum disease associated with implants known as peri-implantitis (“peri” around an implant; “itis” inflammation) that first affects the gums surrounding an implant. Although peri-implantitis can arise from an excess of dental cement used to affix the crown to the implant, it most commonly starts like other forms of gum disease with dental plaque.

Dental plaque, and its hardened form calculus (tartar), is a thin, bacterial biofilm that builds up on teeth surfaces. It can quickly accumulate if you don't remove it every day with proper brushing and flossing. The bacteria living in plaque can infect the outer gum tissues and trigger inflammation.

Gum disease around natural teeth can spread quickly, but even more so with implants. That's because the natural attachment of the gums helps supply antibodies that impede infection. Implants, relying solely on their connection with the bone, don't have those gum attachments. As a result, peri-implantitis can move rapidly into the supporting bone, weakening the implant to the point of failure.

The good news, though, is that peri-implantitis can be treated successfully through aggressive plaque removal and antibiotics. But the key to success is to catch it early before it progresses too far—which is why you should see your dentist at the first sign of gum swelling, redness or bleeding.

You can also prevent peri-implantitis by practicing daily brushing and flossing, including around your dental implant. You should also see your dentist twice a year (or more, if they advise) for cleanings and checkups.

Dental implants overall have a greater than 95% success rate, better than any other tooth restoration system. But they still need daily care and regular cleanings to ensure your implants are on the positive side of those statistics.

If you would like more information on caring for your dental implants, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation.

0 Comment(s) Permalink

Comments: