Caring for Dental Implants

Implants do not decay, but the gum and bone around them can become inflamed — a condition called peri-implantitis. Catching peri-implantitis at the gum-inflammation stage means it is treatable; catching it at the bone-loss stage means the implant is often unrecoverable.

Twice-daily brushing, daily flossing around the abutment, twice-yearly professional cleanings, and annual radiographs are what separate a 10-year implant from a 30-year implant.

Brushing. Twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush. The implant crown looks like a tooth but the gum cuff around the implant is more fragile than around a natural tooth. Gentle pressure, 45-degree angle to the gum line, small circular motions.

Flossing. Daily, with floss specifically designed for implants (Superfloss or a similar threader-tipped product) or a water flosser. The goal is to clear plaque from the implant-gum junction — the most common site for peri-implant disease.

Interdental brushes. A small interdental brush sized for the implant abutment is excellent supplementary tool. We show you how to use one at the final delivery appointment.

Abrasive toothpaste. Charcoal toothpastes and aggressive whitening pastes can scratch the zirconia crown surface over time. Use a standard fluoride toothpaste.

Hard-bristle brushes. Damages the gum cuff around the implant. Soft only.

Metallic instruments at home. Avoid using stainless-steel picks or scrapers to clean around the implant — they can scratch the abutment and create plaque-trapping surfaces. Floss and interdental brushes only.

Smoking. Roughly doubles peri-implantitis risk over the long run. The single highest- leverage thing you can do to protect implants.

Twice-yearly hygiene visits.Cleaning around implants requires special instruments — plastic or titanium-tipped scalers that won't scratch the implant surface. Most general hygienists are not trained for this; we are. Our visits include implant-specific scaling and a probing check for early signs of peri-implant disease.

Annual radiographs. A small periapical X-ray once a year shows bone level around the implant. We compare to your baseline. Bone loss of more than 0.2 mm per year is a warning sign that gets us intervening early.

Periodic exam by Dr. Qiu. At each annual radiograph visit, Dr. Qiu personally checks the implant. We catch what hygienists miss.

Bleeding around the implant when you floss or brush.Normal teeth occasionally bleed; implants generally shouldn't. Persistent bleeding is the earliest sign of peri-implant mucositis (treatable) or peri-implantitis (catch it now).

Redness or swelling at the gum cuff. Same logic — implants should look clean and healthy. Inflammation is a signal.

A slight movement of the crown or implant. Crown movement usually means a loose abutment screw (easy fix). True implant movement is a serious sign that integration has been lost.

Pain or sensitivity at the implant.Implants shouldn't hurt once integrated. New pain is a signal that something has changed.

Call Dr. Qiu directly for any of these. The number on your post-op packet reaches him personally.

At 5D Smiles, the zirconia crown carries a lifetime warranty against fracture or wear when seen at your twice-yearly hygiene visits. The titanium implant body carries a 3-year warranty against integration failure.

To keep the warranty active: see us twice yearly for hygiene, get the annual radiograph done, and follow the home-care protocol. Skipping hygiene visits voids the warranty because the most common cause of crown failure is peri-implantitis we could have caught earlier.

Replacement of a failed crown or implant under warranty is at-cost (lab and parts only), not a re-charge of the full fee.