Dental implants do not decay. But the bone and soft tissue around them behave similarly to the tissues around natural teeth, and can develop gum-disease-like infection (peri-implantitis) that destroys the implant’s support. The good news: implants are fully maintainable, and patients who follow a reasonable protocol rarely lose them.
Daily Home Care
- Brush twice daily with a soft or extra-soft toothbrush — manual or electric. Angled bristles work well around the implant neck.
- Clean between teeth — implant-safe floss (often with a stiff threader end), interdental brushes, or a water flosser.
- Water flossers are particularly effective around implant crowns and full-arch bridges.
- Non-abrasive toothpaste — avoid aggressive whitening pastes with high relative dentin abrasivity.
- Rinse — an alcohol-free antimicrobial rinse if recommended by your dentist.
Full-Arch Bridge Maintenance
Fixed full-arch prostheses (All-on-4, STAR Concept™ bridges) have unique cleaning requirements. The underside of the bridge sits near the gum without touching it; food debris and plaque collect there. Daily cleaning tools include:
- Threaded floss that passes under the bridge
- Water flossers — often the most effective single tool
- End-tufted brushes for hard-to-reach angles
- Interdental brushes sized to the access spaces
Professional Maintenance Schedule
- Every 3–4 months — professional hygiene visit for implant patients, versus every 6 months for dentate patients without implant history
- Annually — assessment for bone levels (periapical x-rays), mobility, and prosthetic screw tightness
- Every 5 years or as needed — removal of screw-retained prostheses for thorough cleaning (when clinically indicated)
What to Avoid
- Hard toothbrush bristles
- Metal instruments (only specialized implant-safe instruments should be used by hygienists)
- Chewing extremely hard objects — ice, unpopped popcorn kernels, pens
- Skipping professional maintenance
- Ignoring bleeding around an implant — this is the earliest sign of peri-implantitis
Request a consultation to discuss your case.
Related Articles
- Peri-Implantitis: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Why Dental Implants Fail
- How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
- All-on-4 Recovery Timeline
Serving Patients Across Greater Boston
The Face Dental Group welcomes patients from throughout Greater Boston:
- Implant Dentist in Belmont & Watertown
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