Prepare for the Challenge

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Implants are a rapidly growing treatment modality with more and more being placed every year. Some are placed where someone previously had trauma and a tooth was lost. Other times the tooth was lost because of ​fractures, or restorative treatment that has not been successful or through periodontal disease.

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The cause of the tooth loss can determine how successful your implant treatment will be.

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Do not be mislead - however you came upon needing dental implants, they are not an easy to look after replacement for teeth. It is being increasingly accepted, that for many patients they are considerably more difficult to look after than natural teeth, requiring more care, dexterity and patience for as long as they are in your mouth. Smoking and implants do not go together.

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Maintenance

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• Your implant specialist will provide guidance on how often you need to see him/her to comply with any warranty

• Your implant specialist will likely need you to see their own hygienist who has experience in treating implant patients without damaging the delicate implant surface.

• You must observe any guidance and conditions provided by your implant provider, else any problems with the implant will not be covered in 

 

Cleaning

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• You must be careful not to damage the surface of the implant

• If part of the implant becomes exposed over time this may suggest that the level of osseointegration of the implant is changing. See your implant specialist without delay.

• Dental treatment either side of an implant needs to be done with great care to ensure excess of cements are not pushed down towards the implant side of the gum gap.

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