Dental Implant Cleaning & Sterilization
Dental implants are an ideal solution for restoring lost or missing teeth, but certain cleaning and sterilization processes are needed to ensure longevity of the device and patient health. This article will examine the sterilization and cleaning procedures needed before and after placing dental implants.
Cleaning and Sterilizing Implant Abutments
Because the procedure to place dental implants is surgical in nature, instruments and components must be clean and sterilized prior to use to reduce the risk of infection. The implant abutment, the device that connects the implant to a replacement prosthetic crown, is one such component that requires cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization.
Steps to Clean and Disinfect Implant Abutments: Prior to Placement
- The abutment should be rinsed under water and its inner and outer sides scrubbed with appropriate brushes.
- Soak the abutment in a high-quality cleaning solution for necessary amount of time. Ensure the disinfectant or cleaning solution does not contain strong lye, strong mineral acids or organic acids, oxidizing agents (peroxide), organic solvents (benzin, ether, acetone), halogens (bromine, iodine, chlorine), or halogenated hydrocarbons.
- Rinse the abutment a minimum of three times under water.
- Air-dry the abutment and immediately package it in a sterilized single-use package. The package should adhere to regulatory requirements, suitable for steam sterilization, and adequately guard the abutment from damage.
Cleaning Dental Implants: After Placement
Because of their material and the way they attach to surrounding bone and gum tissue, the process for cleaning dental implants is somewhat different than that for natural teeth. Just like natural teeth, dental implants should be cleaned daily at home to remove bacterial plaque that forms on and around the implant crown. Patients should ensure they floss daily and brush two times per day. Failure to do so will allow biofilm to accumulate and can lead to an infection called peri-implantitis that damages the supporting bone structures holding the implant in place. At this point, bone loss can progress rapidly and could ultimately lead to implant loss.
In addition to adequate home care and cleaning, a dental hygienist also plays a critical role in ensuring dental implants remain free of infection. When determining the appropriate instruments for cleaning, the hygienist must consider the type and location of debris being removed, the surface on which it accumulated, and how difficult it is to remove.
It is important that the instruments selected not damage the implant, abutment, or crown as it is critical to keep these surfaces smooth. Should they become scratched, bacteria are attracted and can accumulate around the devices. Unlike natural teeth that can be cleaned with metal instruments, implant components are cleaned with curettes and scalers that are typically made of resins and plastics. Ultrasonic instruments can also be used that generate high-frequency vibrations to clean away material and may be necessary if large amounts of debris have built up. These devices are used on low settings along with water irrigation and in some cases, antibacterial solutions are also applied.
Although somewhat more challenging to clean, dental implants have a great long-term success rate with studies showing over 95% efficacy.