Strategies to Maintain Complex Implant Restorations

By Shavonne R. Healy, RDH, BSDH and Kimberly A. Erdman, RDH, PHDHP, MSDH

With the known associations between oral health and overall health, tooth loss can significantly compromise individuals’ quality of life. Fortunately, technological advances allow the placement of dental implants in a wide range of cases.¹ In the United States, 300,000 dental implants to 428,000 dental implants are placed annually and restored with fixed or removable prostheses.^2,3 Implants are not subject to decay (due to lack of natural tooth structure). However, oral biofilm must be managed, as evidence has shown that microbial colonization at the gingiva/implant interface (Figure 1) can induce peri-implant mucositis or peri-implantitis and jeopardize implant outcomes.^2,4

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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