Cé how to look after your implant-supported teeth for life

Getting dental implants – whether a single crown, a bridge or a full arch like All-on-4 / All-on-6 – is a big step.

Most patients ask me before surgery:

“Cé how long will my implants last?”

My honest answer is always the same:

“Implants are designed to be a long-term solution –

but cé how long they last depends as much on you as on me.”

I’m Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr Ali Direnç Ulaşan, owner and clinical director of Milim Dental –

Turkey’s first Health Tourism Authorized boutique dental center, located about one hour by car from Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

My team and I perform:

Single and multiple dental implants

Full-arch All-on-4 / All-on-6 implant bridges

Advanced bone graft and sinus procedures

Complex revision cases after failed implants

But no matter cé how advanced the surgery is, the story does not end when we screw the new teeth into place.

In many ways, that is just the beginning.

This article explains, in clear language:

Cé how to care for implant-supported teeth long term

The difference between early healing care and lifetime maintenance

Cé how to clean under bridges, All-on-4 and All-on-6 restorations

Habits that protect or damage implants and bone over time

Cé what follow-up schedule we recommend for our own patients

If cé already have implants, or are planning them, this is your manual for keeping them healthy for as long as possible.

1. Implants do not get cavities – but they can get sick

One of the first myths we need to break is:

“Doctor, implants don’t decay, so I don’t need to worry as much, right?”

It’s true that:

The implant itself (titanium or zirconia) does not get cavities like natural tooth enamel.

But the tissues around the implant absolutely can get inflamed and infected.

Around natural teeth we talk about:

Gingivitis

Periodontitis

Around implants we talk about:

Peri-implant mucositis – inflammation of the gums around the implant

Peri-implantitis – inflammation plus bone loss around the implant

Peri-implantitis is one of the main reasons implants are lost in the long term.

The good news:

most of this is preventable with proper home care and regular professional maintenance.

2. Early phase vs lifelong care – cé what’s the difference?

We can divide implant care into two phases:

2.1. Early healing phase (first 3–6 months)

This is when:

Bone is integrating with the implant (osseointegration)

Gums are healing around the implant and any bone graft area

You may have temporary crowns/bridges or provisional All-on-4/All-on-6 teeth

Our focus here is:

Protecting the surgical site

Avoiding excessive chewing forces

Preventing early infection

You’ll receive detailed instructions on:

What to eat and what to avoid

How to brush around the area

How and when to use mouthwashes

When cé come for check-ups

2.2. Long-term phase (after final restorations are placed)

Once cé have your final implant crown/bridge or full-arch fixed teeth, the focus changes:

Now we protect the supporting bone and gums

We monitor the prosthesis, screws and bite

We manage habits like clenching, smoking, and sugar intake

This phase lasts for as long as you have implants – ideally, for life.

3. Daily cleaning: your non-negotiable routine

Implant-supported teeth must be cleaned every day, just like natural teeth – sometimes even more carefully.

The exact tools depend on your case, but the principles are the same.

3.1. For single implant crowns

Treat them like a natural tooth – with extra attention:

Soft toothbrush (manual or electric)

Angle the bristles towards the gum line, small circular motions

Floss or interdental brushes between teeth

Slide gently around the implant crown to remove plaque

Consider a water flosser as an additional tool, especially if you have multiple implants

The goal:

Keep the gum around the implant pink, firm and not bleeding.

3.2. For implant bridges and All-on-4 / All-on-6

Fixed bridges and full arches require a different technique because:

Food and plaque can accumulate under the bridge

You cannot simply floss like between single teeth

We typically recommend:

A soft toothbrush for visible surfaces

Interdental brushes and/or

Superfloss / special implant floss to slide under the bridge

A water flosser to flush the underside and hard-to-reach areas

With All-on-4 / All-on-6 full-arch bridges, you will be shown:

Exactly where and how to insert special brushes

How to clean the junction between the bridge and the gum

How often to clean (usually twice daily thorough cleaning, plus quick rinses if needed)

If you’re an international patient, we usually demonstrate this in person, then send you video reminders and written instructions.

4. Professional maintenance: why regular check-ups are essential

Even with perfect home care, you cannot see everything:

You can’t see early bone changes

You can’t see small screw loosening or micro-fractures

You can’t measure pocket depths around implants

This is why professional follow-up is part of the life plan of every implant.

4.1. How often should you come?

In most stable cases we recommend:

Every 6 months for professional cleaning and check-up

In higher-risk patients (heavy smokers, diabetics, history of periodontitis), we may recommend:

Every 3–4 months

For international patients, we usually design a shared plan:

Main check-ups and x-rays with us

Interim professional cleanings with a trusted clinic near your home

4.2. What do we do at these visits?

A long-term implant maintenance visit at Milim Dental typically includes:

Clinical examination of gums around implants

Checking for:

Redness

Swelling

Bleeding on gentle probing

Pus or deep pockets

Evaluating your bite:

Any new contacts or high spots?

Are certain implants overloaded?

Assessing prosthesis stability:

Loose screws?

Micro-movement of bridges?

Small chips in ceramic or acrylic?

Professional cleaning:

Using instruments and tips specifically designed for implants (to avoid scratching)

Removing hardened plaque (calculus) from around implants and teeth

Periodic x-rays:

To monitor bone levels around the implants

Chun comparáid ar fud na mblianta ar féidir comharthaí peri-implantitis a tharlú

Más féidir linn fadhbanna luatha a fheiceáil, is féidir linn idirghabháil sula become serious.

5. Cleachtais a chuireann damáiste ar shlándáil (agus cad ba chóir duit a dhéanamh in ionad)

Tá Implantanna agus fiacla tacaíocht implant láidir –

ach ní iad gan sár-dhéanamh.

Déanaimid cleachtaí áirithe a mhéadaíonn do riosca d'fhadhbacha fadtréimhse níos mó ná eile.

5.1. Ag tobac

Tá tobac ar cheann de na mhianta is mó i gcoinne implantanna.

Déantar:

Laghdaíonn soláthar fola don chúnna agus cnámha

Méadaíonn an riosca tinnis agus mall foirfeachta

Tá sé go láidir bainteach le peri-implantitis agus caillteanas implant

Mura dtógann tú}

I mbéile, stad go hiomlán – go háirithe má bhí tú ag gnáthfhiacail cnámh no nóróga sinusa

Ar a laghad, laghdóidh tú go mór agus seachnigh tobac timpeall na gcéimeanna oibríochta

Táimid i gcónaí macánta le hothair:

is féidir le tobacóirí féin a fháil implantanna, ach tá a riosca fadtréimhse níos airde – agus caithfidh cothabháil a bheith níos dúilí.

5.2. Sorchail / bruxism oíche

Is féidir le bruxism:

Utacht na snail

Dílteoir na scroige

Chosaint gloine nó plástair na fiacla

Damáiste don cnámh timpeall na implantanna le himeacht ama

Mura mbraithimid bruxism (nó go bhfeiceann tú tú féin ag bréagán), molfaimid de ghnáth:

Gunna oíche (splint occlusal)

a dhe designed chun cosaint:

do na implantanna

All-on-4 / All-on-6 droichidí

fiacla nádúrtha atá fágtha

Cuireann cóireáil gunna oíche i bhfeidhm ar an bhfadhb:

níos caoin agus sin

litriú ar an gcéim go minic

Aon agus arís.

5.3. Ag úsáid fiacla mar uirlisí

Tá fiacla tacaíocht implant an-bhlasta.

Is féidir leat:

Bite pens

Oscailphacáistí

Briseadh cnónna

Ná déan

Déanaig dóibh mar uirlisí costasacha, ardchruinneas – mar atá siad.

Úsáid iad le haghaidh múineadh bia, ní le haghaidh ghearradh, scoilteadh nó briseadh rudaí.

5.4. Míshláinte mheitibileach agus réir a chéile galar torrach

Tá do ghnáthshláinte tábhachtach:

Míthógáil controlláilte go dona diabéiteas

Stáit éadóchais a gcaithfear a dhoimhniú

Imoibriú coin réalach

féadtar ardú riosca d'fhadhbanna implant

Molaimid do gach othar:

Rialaigh na coinníollacha ginearálta a gcuid dochtúra

Coinnigh béim ar chothrom na féinne bia saibhir i vitimíní agus mianraí

Seachain dámhachtanna tromchúiseacha scaoilte a chuireann cosc ar shlí na fiacla

6. Cásanna speisialta: cásanna lán-arcánta agus gníomhairí cnámha

Mura bhfuil:

Implantanna lán-arcánta All-on-4 / All-on-6

Gníomhairí cnámha ar fhorbairt

Lasón sinus

Implant Zygomatic nó athphéisceanna casta

tá do chúram fadtréimhseach níos tábhachtaí

6.1. Cén fáth?

Mar gheall ar:

Tá tuilleadh acastora sa bhéal agat (implantanna, scriúnna, comhlachtaí próistéiseacha)

Clúdann na hathruithe achair níos mó, ag cruthú níos mó áiteanna le plaisteach a cheilt

Caithfidh an cnámh atá faoi bhun (go minic atá gníomhaithe) a bheith cosanta ó coimpléasc coin réalach

Gheobhaidh na daoine seo moltaí go heisiach go minic:

Cuairtí cothabhála rialta

Treoir fhaisnéise ar íomhá glan

Úsáid gunna oíche (más táibh fiacla láidir agat)