How to maintain dental implants in the long term?

At present, more and more patients with tooth loss will choose dental implants for tooth restoration. Compared with traditional dentures, dental implants are similar to one's own teeth, with better chewing and pronunciation functions, and strong comfort and aesthetics. They are the restoration solutions for most missing teeth. In reality, many patients will experience inflammation, loss, and breakage of implanted teeth within a short period of time after dental implants. This situation is caused by many factors, which may be related to medical treatment, and may also be related to the patient's use and maintenance. To avoid this situation, it is necessary to carry out reasonable and scientific long-term maintenance of dental implants to ensure the service life of dental implants and improve the quality of life of dental implant patients. At present, many people still do not know how to perform long-term maintenance on dental implants. The following are measures for long-term maintenance of dental implants. I hope to help people learn more knowledge.

1. The difference between dental implants and natural teeth

At present, dental implants are very similar to natural teeth in appearance and better in function than traditional dentures. However, due to the limitations of materials and tissue anatomy, they cannot completely replace natural teeth. Compared with natural teeth, dental implants are different in the following three aspects.

(1) Difference in materials: Dental implants and abutments are mainly made of materials with good biocompatibility such as titanium alloy and zirconium oxide. If they are affected by external forces or overused, the implants and abutments may break and the teeth may become loose. (2) The way they are combined with bones: The natural teeth and alveolar bones are mainly connected by the periodontal membrane, which has a corresponding buffer space. Dental implants are directly combined with the alveolar bone without corresponding buffering, and their firmness will be affected by many factors. Inflammation around the implant, trauma, excessive bite force, etc. may cause alveolar bone absorption, which may then cause the implant to fall off and become loose. (3) Anti-infection ability: In the case of poor oral hygiene or unhealthy surrounding tissues, dental implants and natural teeth are more likely to become inflamed, and once the implant becomes inflamed, it is difficult to control.

2. Long-term maintenance of dental implants

(1) Maintain good oral hygiene: Oral hygiene is the basis for maintaining the health of dental implants. Patients need to adopt the correct way of brushing their teeth. They must insist on brushing their teeth in the morning and evening and develop good brushing habits. They can also use water flossers and dental floss to thoroughly clean the tissues around the dental implants to prevent bacterial residue. (2) Avoid chewing hard foods: For example, nuts, sugar cane, pig bones and other foods. For dental implant patients, it is necessary to avoid eating these hard foods because dental implants cannot withstand excessive chewing. Chewing hard foods will cause the dental implants to break or fall off, leading to dental implant failure, which not only affects the patient's normal quality of life, but also affects the overall aesthetics of the teeth. (3) Quit smoking: Cigarettes contain carcinogens such as nicotine and tar, which will cause chronic irritation to periodontal tissues and affect the recovery of periodontal wounds of dental implants. Long-term smoking will also produce smoke stains, making the surface of the dental implants rougher and tar deposits more easily, which will cause gingivitis. This requires dental implant patients to reduce the number of times they smoke or quit smoking after the dental implants are completed. (4) Intervention of oral side effects such as bruxism at night: If you find yourself grinding your teeth at night, you need to find a dental implant doctor in time to make a bruxism pad that suits the patient, so as to help implant patients reduce the damage caused by bruxism to the implant. (5) Regular follow-up visits to the hospital: As people age, their alveolar bones change accordingly. Regular follow-up visits to the hospital allow the doctor to make timely adjustments or give the next treatment plan. At least 1-2 check-ups are required each year to perform periodontal maintenance on implants and natural teeth, remove periodontal calculus and plaque, and check whether the implant connection is loose or there is an incoordination of the bite. If there is any abnormality, timely adjustment is required. (6) It is necessary to develop the habit of rinsing the mouth after meals: Implant patients can use 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthwash after meals. It is best to use 10 ml each time. It needs to be used 1-2 times, and it should be used alternately with saline. This will make the effect more obvious, but long-term use is not recommended.

The above are ways to maintain dental implants in the long term. We know that natural teeth are our original and best teeth. We need each of us to maintain correct oral habits, develop good living and eating habits, and go to the dental hospital for regular check-ups to prevent tooth defects from the source. When the defects of one's own teeth are too serious, the teeth need to be extracted and dental implants are performed to help the patient restore the complete dentition. After the teeth are implanted, long-term maintenance is required. Brush your teeth twice a day, morning and evening, reduce the number and frequency of smoking, and go to a regular dentist for regular check-ups. Problems with dental implants can be discovered as early as possible, and the dental implant plan can be adjusted in time to ensure the long-term stability of dental implants. (Lu Wenxi, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine)