Getting a beautiful new smile with All on 4 is truly life-changing. And once you get your smile, function and confidence back, you’ll want to ensure you enjoy the benefits of All-on-4 for many years to come. One of the best ways to ensure the success and longevity of your new smile is with a good All on 4 cleaning and maintenance routine.
While the All on 4 procedure may be complex, the good news is that All on 4 cleaning is far from complicated. Many of our patients are daunted by the prospect of cleaning all on 4 dental implants at first, but they soon learn that it’s really not very different to cleaning natural teeth.
Want to keep your All on 4 dental implants in top condition? Follow the easy steps in this guide on how to clean all on 4 dental implants.
After your All on 4 implant placement surgery, it’s normal to experience some discomfort, swelling and tenderness for a few days. You’ll need to be extremely careful when eating and cleaning to avoid damaging the implanted teeth. You’ll also need to ensure you follow your dentist’s aftercare instructions closely during this time to help the healing process and keep your mouth and implants clean.
Here are the basics of how to care for All on 4 dental implants in the days after your surgery:
The first few days will always be an adjustment. But it won’t be long before you establish your new at-home oral hygiene routine to care for your implants.
As we mentioned earlier, cleaning All on 4 dental implants is much like cleaning natural teeth. And like real teeth, implanted teeth are just as vulnerable to bacteria build-up and infection. A daily All on 4 cleaning routine is not only essential for the success and longevity of implants, but also for your overall oral health.
Thankfully, there are many specialised products designed to help with All-on-4 implants cleaning. These products make it much easier to clean those hard-to-reach areas and help to prevent damage to your implants and tooth bridge.
Below, we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide on how to clean All on 4 implants at home, including the types of products you can use at each step.
Gently brush your implant teeth and gums twice a day for around 2 minutes with a soft bristled toothbrush. This will help to clear away any bacteria and prevent the build-up of plaque.
Be extra careful when brushing along the gum line, as this is a place where food particles can get stuck. Gently slide your toothbrush back and forth along the line where your tooth bridge and gums meet.
A special dental implant toothbrush with a small or slim head can be useful to access any difficult to reach areas and ensure an effective clean. However, a soft manual toothbrush will also clean your implants effectively with the right technique. Your dentist will show you how to brush your new teeth when providing you with your aftercare instructions.
It’s crucial to clean underneath your tooth bridge at least twice a day using special implant floss or interdental brushes. This helps to keep your gums and implants as clean as possible and reduce your risk of infection or inflammation, which could lead to implantitis or, at worst, implant failure.
Be sure to use specially designed implant floss here. Traditional floss may not be suitable for All on 4 implants cleaning because it can be difficult to thread underneath the tooth bridge and may not clean effectively in tight spaces. If you’re using interdental brushes, you’ll need your dentist or oral hygienist to recommend the correct size for you. Using an interdental brush that’s too large can damage your gums.
It’s recommended that you also use a water flosser every day as part of your All on 4 cleaning routine. This added step will help to clean away any food particles that may be stuck between the tooth bridge and gums and were unable to be cleared away with regular brushing and flossing.
Using a gum stimulator will not only help to stimulate blood flow to your gums and encourage healing, but it will also remove any debris or plaque build up. Simply trace the gum stimulator along the line where your gums meet your tooth bridge.
Finally, you can complete your All-on-4 implants cleaning routine with a fresh swish of mouthwash. If you still have some of your natural teeth, you can use a fluoride-based mouthwash. If you’re using a mouthwash with antiseptic chlorhexidine, be sure to only use this for 1 to 2 weeks (or as advised by your dentist) as chlorhexidine can cause staining on your tooth bridge. For an easy and cost-effective at-home mouthwash, you can mix ½ teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of warm water.
Outside of your at-home oral hygiene routine, you’ll also need to visit your dentist as per their advice for regular dental check-ups and ongoing All on 4 maintenance appointments. During these maintenance appointments, your dentist will monitor your oral health, check the condition of your tooth bridge and dental implants, and assess if any adjustments need to be made.
Periodically, your dentist may take out your tooth bridge for professional cleaning around your implants to remove plaque or tartar build-up that regular brushing and flossing cannot.
Proper care, cleaning and maintenance are key to enjoying your new All on 4 smile for many years to come. If you’re not cleaning All on 4 dental implants effectively, this allows harmful bacteria to build up on the surface of the gums and implant. Over time, this can lead to inflammation and infections in your gums and jaw. If this is not addressed and treated, gum inflammation and infection can lead to implant failure.
One of the most common issues people find with All-on-4 cleaning is food getting stuck under their tooth bridge. If a tooth bridge was poorly designed, it will not fit snugly along the gum line, creating a food trap. An ill-fitting tooth bridge can result in a cascade of issues — not just food getting stuck — and may leave you at risk of All on 4 complications. This is why we spend hours meticulously planning and designing your tooth bridge to ensure it’s the perfect fit on top of your gums with very little space for food to get stuck.
If you have a question about All on 4 or are having difficulty cleaning your All on 4 implants, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always here to help.
Want to learn more about the All on 4 procedure, the cost of All on 4 treatment or payment options (including accessing your super for dental work)? Click the button below to get our comprehensive Dental Implant Price Guide.
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