The Importance of Professional All-on-X Maintenance
The All-on-X is an incredible solution to tooth loss, but that does not mean your new smile is invincible. Even the most diligent and meticulous dental routine cannot compare to a hygienist, who can see into your mouth far better and clean anything that may have gone unnoticed. After having implant surgery, it is important to take care of the implants and prosthetics just like your own teeth even if they aren’t your natural ones anymore. In today's post, we will explain the maintenance and cleaning process of an All-on-x in-depth, as well as the risks of not properly maintaining the prosthetic.
Maintenance
By visiting us every 4 months, if there are any issues to address, we are able to catch them much earlier. Potentially saving you thousands of dollars due to early intervention. Once a year we will take a 3D scan of the mouth with a doctor’s exam to ensure the health of your bone and implants all the way to a microscopic level. At that time, we will remove the access filling, screws, and the prosthetic(s) to examine every single part of the prosthetic and implant. During this time our doctors will conduct a quality check to ensure the proper function of every single part. When reinstalling the prosthetic the screws will also be replaced. This is VERY important because like normal screws there will be pressure on the screw head and if unscrewed multiple times they can strip or break. If a screw breaks or strips the prosthetic becomes increasingly difficult to remove and the risk of breaking the prosthetic during removal greatly increases. Proper maintenance of the prosthetic is critical to ensure lifelong longevity.
Cleaning
Because bacteria is constantly being introduced into the mouth by drinking and eating and bacteria exists in the mouth naturally, if the bacteria isn’t cleaned, it will stick to the gums, implants, abutments, and prosthetic. When bacteria is left on these surfaces, it will start to form a sticky substance called plaque. Plaque is easy to remove with a toothbrush and WaterPik if cleaned in a timely manner. But over time if the plaque is not removed, a hardened structure called calculus forms. Calculus is not removable by a regular toothbrush and WaterPik at home like plaque. When calculus is left for a long period of time, it will cause inflammation in the gums which can lead to periodontal disease and bone loss which will put you at high risk of implant failure.
Education
By visiting your hygienist every 4 months, they are able to identify any areas you might be missing at home and give you advice on how to better clean your prosthetic. Even the most diligent person who brushes and flosses regularly will still not be able to control 100% of the build-up of plaque and calculus no matter how many times a day it is performed, especially because you do not have visible access to cleaning the implants and underneath the prosthetic. They will also take that opportunity to continue to educate you and provide instruction on how best to maintain your prosthetics and implants at home with any new techniques to teach as well
Conclusion
The All-on-X maintenance package exists to ensure that as time goes by, all of the components you have are up to the highest standard of care and will be reliable long term. With this we can ensure peace of mind for all of our wonderful patients, and that we are protecting the investment in your health that you have trusted us with for the longest foreseeable future. If you want to go through the dental implant process without any anxiety and fear, schedule a consultation with Stubbs Dental today. We will guide you through this process and provide you with all the information and care you need to ensure the durability of your dental implants!
