Post-Op Instructions for Dental Implant Crowns

Brushing

• Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes.
• A mechanical or ultrasonic brush, such as Sonicare or Oral B, will help you to remove plaque and bacteria. In addition, most electric brushes have a timer that assists you in brushing for a full 2 minutes.
• Waterpicks and Sonicare AirFloss are helpful to flush “hard to reach” areas under your implants.

Flossing

• Floss under your implant crown and around your implant at least once a day.
• Make sure that you insert your Superfloss (available where you buy traditional dental floss) under and in between each implant area.
• Wrap the floss around each implant and move it up and down to loosen and remove food and bacteria. Use a new section of floss for each implant.

Rinses

• You may use Listerine or other recommended rinses as a daily mouth rinse.
• Avoid any rinse or dental dentifrice with hydrogen peroxide as it will react with the titanium and discolor your restorations.

Fluoride

• Prescription strength fluoride can prevent gum inflammation caused by bacteria.

Dental Visits

• You should have a dental cleaning at least every 6 months.
• At least once per year, you will have an exam with the doctor. Please call our office at any time if you are experiencing any tooth or jaw problems.

Occlusal Guards

• Clenching and grinding exert pressure that can be generated across the teeth that can range from 100 to 600 psi (pounds per square inch). That amount of force can cause many different problems related to your gums and jaw.
• Unlike normal teeth, which have some “give” under normal chewing function, implants are fused to your jawbone. This is important to consider if you are aware of or have been told that you clench or grind your teeth. Clenching and grinding when you have an implant may cause damage to your opposing teeth.
• It may benefit you to have an occlusal guard (night guard) made to protect your teeth from cracks, fractures, and excessive wear. An occlusal guard is an appliance designed from dental models of your teeth and made of a rigid plastic. It prevents the teeth from coming together while sleeping at night. It also provides a guide for your jaw so that muscles can relax and bite problems will not trigger the bruxing action.