Maintenance of fixed prosthesis on implants

Abstract

In Dentistry, the term “maintenance” refers to patient follow-up with the aim of prolonging the longevity of dental treatments performed in the mouth. In this way, in the case of prosthetic maintenance, the dentist will be able to estimate the state of the prosthesis installed to the patient, be it multiple prostheses of the protocol or overdenture type, or single prosthesis. To assess the long-term success of an implant-supported prosthesis, one cannot rely solely on osseointegration or the bone structures surrounding the implant and the health and integrity of the soft tissues. The success of the soft tissues mainly depends on the care, maintenance and hygiene of the prostheses. All installed prostheses must follow a strict protocol, from planning to installation and control or maintenance. In periodic control, it is very important to remind the patient about care and oral hygiene, to avoid possible biological and mechanical failures, such as: implant loss, marginal bone loss, peri-implantitis, mucositis, screw fracture, intermediate screw loosening, ceramic fracture and substructure fracture. Also, in addition to failures, checking the occlusion is important to verify that the patient is not having parafunctional habits, such as bruxism and clenching. The patient needs to be well guided when receiving treatment with implants and, mainly, on how to maintain hygiene after implant installation, due to their functional and aesthetic limitations.