If it is not possible to
construct a fixed prosthesis for you jaw, a removable
overdenture may be designed may be designed to fit over the
implants. While it is removable by you, it can be secured
to the abutments by various types of attachments or magnets.
If you do have some remaining natural teeth, a prosthesis
fixed to two or more implants may also be made to replace the
missing teeth. They may be attached to natural teeth or
may stand alone in the areas where teeth have been lost.
Single missing teeth can be replaced by an implant-supported
replacement tooth.
Aftercare
During the first year after your new prosthesis
has been placed on the implants, it is necessary for the dentist to
confirm that it fits well and works satisfactorily. Regular checkup
appointments will usually be scheduled at 1, 3, and 6 month intervals
in the first year. At these checkups, x-rays may be taken to examine
the implant-bone relationship and rule out any disease. After
the first year, follow-up examinations are usually necessary only once
a year.
How To
Clean Your New Teeth After Implant Therapy
Good
oral hygiene is just as important to patients with an implant
prosthesis as to those people who have their natural
teeth. It cannot be said enough that you must thoroughly
clean the abutments and prosthesis daily if your implants are to
give you long-time service. Because
the flow of saliva slows down while you are asleep, the natural
cleaning action of saliva decreases. This means that
bacterial plaque builds up while you are asleep. Therefore, the
most important times for cleaning the abutments and teeth are in
the evening and in the morning. The
most important areas to be cleaned are the abutment posts,
underneath the prosthesis, and the area around the gums. (The
abutment posts, remember, are the shiny metal posts that stick
up from the gums and attach the prosthesis to your jaw.)
Follow These Steps In
Cleaning Your Abutments and Prosthesis
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