Dental implants are wildly successful, with a rate of up to 95%. There are many replacement options for missing teeth, but this takes the cake. However, just like your own natural teeth, you do need to care for implants so that they last.

Peri plantains is an infection of the areas around an implant, and they can develop when you’re not careful with the implants and give them what they desire.

First, what’s a dental Implant

Dental implants are made to replace your teeth.

There are multiple parts, which include an artificial root made of titanium, and a crown that sits atop this.

They’ve become a very popular dental prosthetic option, with multiple advantages.

They include:

Offering you a chance to have a functional bite and an option to chew.
They don’t come loose or slip, unlike of course, dentures.
They look like natural teeth while not developing the activities that are there

But dental implants are not immune to the buildup of plaque.

In fact, the accumulation of plaque at the base of your implant is what causes peri-implantitits. According to the American academy of periodontology, this s a gum infection that happens around your implant, and deteriorates the ties used, along with the bone that surrounds this implant.

So how common is this? well, about 40% of the implants that are over five years old are susceptible to this.

When you don’t treat this, it does lead to implant loss, which you have to be careful with.

Caring for your implant

The benefits of implants are that they last a few years, and they can save you the expense and disruption of some of the conditions that may happen.

Now to prevent the inflammation of the area around your implant, you just have to have a good hygiene routine.

This includes:

Brushing and flossing twice daily.
Depending on where the implant is and the number you have, use interdental brushes or water flossers to help with this
Talk to the dentist and routinely check for healthy gums and bones
Stop smoking. If you do smoke, this increase the chance of implant failure

If you have diabetes or gum disease, there is a stronger chance of peri-implantitits developing, so talk to your dentist about further steps to take

You can also prevent further decay on your natural teeth if you do prevent this on the implants.

Symptoms and Treatment

Now, if you’re worried you might’ve developed this, here are a few things to keep in mind:

The gums will be tender and inflamed.
They might bleed when you brush

If you’re worried, you should talk to your dentist to figure out the concerns, and to report all changes during dental visits. If you do develop these symptoms, don’t hesitate to tell your dentist in order to resolve the infection and avoid the instances of implant failure. The treatments of this do vary based on what’s being treated, the implant type, the severity of this, and other small notes. Every treatment has benefits and drawbacks, so find out from our dentist what is right for you.

Some are more effective when they work well with other treatment options for you too. Some treatments have some good benefits too, and they do work well.

Antibiotics are the first option, as this can help right around the implant.

Sometimes, you might need to use mechanical removal. There is also laser therapy for destroying the bacteria at the source.

Finally of course, there are surgeries that are used as a last resort.

What Abutments are

Abutments are a connector made of metal, and for dental procedures, they’re put into implants after it’s been healed. The abutment basically screws directly into the implant, and is the middleman between the implant itself, and the crown, or fake tooth, that’ll be there.

For those with dental bridges, the crowns are put on two of these abutments, and then are connected to these other teeth that are replaced called pontics, that will sit over the gums.

Abutments are usually created in labs, made of gold, titanium, zirconia, stainless steel, or even polyester ether ketone. Placing the abutment is a small procedure, and usually, they’re done with only local anesthesia for pain.

What are implants

Well implants are basically metal fixtures that work like tooth roots, and they’re put into the gums and jawbone. Essentially, they get anchored to your bone through the process of osseointegration where ethe bone gets directly fused to your metal.

It offers stability to both the abutment and crown, which is on the same level as actual teeth. It can take up to 12 weeks for these to heal once you get implants.

If you have a dentist that says that the jawbone isn’t strong or thick enough for support of this implant, then a bone graft might be recommended. In this, oral surgeons take bones from another part of the body or will use synthetic bone in order to attach this directly to the jawbone. This offers a sturdy support for these replacements until the bone is able to heal tightly around this implant.

Regardless of Type, you need good Hygiene

One thing that’s important is regardless of the implant, or a crown or even a bridge, you have to practice good oral hygiene.

The implants work in the same manner as your regular teeth do, where you’ve got to brush this twice daily, along the gums and then sweep towards where both biting parts of the teeth are.

Cleaning between the teeth with water flossing or interdental brushes at least daily is important, and you should have tongue scrapers or antimicrobial mouth rinses.

When you do this, always check with a dentist for a regular appointment, not just for keeping the teeth perfectly right and to get rid of bacteria, but also for the implant’s health. You should take some x-rays in order to check the bone area around the implant. You should also look at the gum tissue that’s near this area, ensuring that it’s free from the inflammation which may be there.

Now that you know a little bit about implants and abutments, you’re in for a treat, and you’ll be able to have good, informed conversations with dentists. Good luck with this, and make sure that if you have replacement teeth, always take care of them like you would with regular teeth, so that they work just like the real thing. With the right care, these replacements can last the rest of your life, which is definitely something to smile about.

Protect your teeth, and protect them all, so that you can have the best oral health that you can, in the best ways possible.

Mouth Health

dental

Pre-Implantitis and the Protection of implants