The recovery of oral health does not end with the placement of dental implants that have replaced the lost and damaged parts.In fact, we have to redouble our effort to keep our mouths in the best possible conditions. After all, implantology treatment has been necessary because, among other factors, we have not dealt enough with our dental pieces. In the maintenance of the implants, which are even more delicate than natural teeth, the specialist intervenes, accompanied by the personal task of the patient, who must be very responsible for his dental health in the periods in which he does not go to the consultation. As a general rule, implantology specialists establish an action protocol that, with its variants, involves conducting a quarterly review during the first year and a visit to the semester in the first five years. The reviews try to check for signs of deterioration of the area, especially to prevent possible outbreaks of periimplantitis, the disease that affects the tissue around the implant. We check aspects such as:
- Absence of signs that indicate possible complications, such as redness and inflammation or continued pain.
- Mechanical stability of the implant.
- Situation of the bone and gum.
- Status of occlusion
On the other hand, the prostheses are removed and cleaning tasks are performed that can only be carried out in the medical center, where specific instruments and materials are used, analogously to a conventional oral cleaning performed by a hygienist. It is a complementary action to which the patient has to systematically practice at home. After implant placement, each person is trained on the techniques they should follow to take care of the work done, and special tools are provided to preserve the implants, such as toothbrushes or flosses of particular characteristics.
It must be thought that many of the causes or symptoms that have led to the loss of teeth will be reactivated if we do not commit to a radical change of habits. The lack of cleanliness, smoking and alcohol consumption, bruxism, in addition to the genetic predisposition to a greater or lesser strength of natural teeth, put us at risk of deteriorating again the health of the mouth and the viability of implants. If we do not clean our teeth regularly, after each meal, we do not floss or do not go to the dentist for annual checkups, sooner or later we will suffer from oral diseases again. This drift is aggravated because according to various studies, the coexistence of natural teeth with implants makes the bacterial plaque more easily affect the new parts. However, we verify that implant maintenance is a responsibility shared between the specialist and the patients. On the part of the clinic, it is advisable to follow carefully the deadlines and maintenance protocols to closely monitor the evolution of the inserted parts. However, the day-to-day commitment depends on each one of us.
