implant care

Question 1

what is a dental implant

Answer 1

• A fixed-titanium post that is
  surgically placed into the maxilla or mandible in order to anchor prosthetic replacement of teeth in an edentulous space
• Crown prosthesis can either be cement-retained or screw-
  retained
• Dental implants act like natural teeth and are prone to periodontal disease, however, not caries

Question 2

implant vs tooth periodontium

Answer 2

Question 3

gingival tissues with implants

Answer 3

The gingival tissues surrounding dental implants
are not immune to periodontal diseases due to the lack of a periodontal ligament. Peri-implant gingival or alveolar mucosa has the same morphology as natural teeth, and therefore, these soft tissues react the same way to plaque accumulation.

Question 4

techniques to assess implant health

Answer 4

radio (yearly PA) and probing (light P)

Question 5

implant examination
* Evaluation of?
* Visual assessment of?
* Tactile assessment of?
* Radiographic assessment of?

Answer 5

• Evaluation of oral hygiene/biofilm control
• Visual assessment of gingival/peri-implant tissues
• Tactile assessment of peri-implant tissues
• Radiographic assessment of mesial and distal bone level

Question 6

implant probing

Answer 6

• Probing implants requires a light force using a traditional steel probe
• Due to distinct differences in peri-implant tissues compared to natural teeth, the probe inserts and penetrates the sulcus differently (more vertical)

Question 7

peri implant health vs dx

Answer 7

• Peri-implant mucosal health is characterized by pink, firm, and well-adapted gingival
  tissues
• Peri-implant disease is associated with clinical erythema, edema, and loss of tissue tightness around the implant
• If inflammation is present, peri-implant tissue must be palpated for tenderness and
  suppuration, probed, and new periapical radiographs must be obtained and compared
  with baseline images to determine if attachment loss has occurred

Question 8

OH and implants

Answer 8

• Good oral hygiene habits must be stressed BEFORE implants are placed
• After implant crown has been placed, patients should brush with dentifrice to disrupt
  biofilm accumulation
• Other dental hygiene aids, such as floss, rubber tips, and interdental brushes, can be used
• Oral hygiene emphasis on removal of biofilm and deposits along the gingival margin

Question 9

professional recal implant maintenence

Answer 9

• Dental clinicians can provide implant maintenance care through the removal of biofilm and calculus from implant components exposed to the oral environment
• At sites with excellent biofilm control and peri-implant health, the need for professional
  instrumentation is minimal
• Instrumentation should be limited to prevent damage to implant components that can
  contribute to plaque and calculus accumulation

Question 10

instruments of recal maintenence

Answer 10

• Metal instruments, such as curettes and scalers and ultrasonic scalers have the
  potential to increase the surface roughness of polished titanium
• UMKC has plastic scalers and titanium scalers available to clean around a dental
  implant