Question
I need to have a molar replaced with a dental implant. I use a sonic toothbrush for dental care. As the sonic toothbrush now transmits increasingly higher vibrations to the tooth, I wonder what effect the sonic toothbrush will have on the ingrown dental implant. Is it possible that the implant will never become firmly ingrown due to the use of the sonic toothbrush?
Short answer
Dental implants must be able to grow into the jawbone undisturbed for several weeks. If they are moved mechanically during this time, healing is jeopardized. In the case of so-called open healing, the use of an electric sonic toothbrush should be avoided during this critical period as a precaution. Once the implants have healed, the teeth can be cleaned with sonic toothbrushes without any problems.
Modern dental implants are screwed into the jawbone. Initially, the situation is similar to that of screws that are screwed into wood. However, this purely mechanical hold is insufficient for dental success. Implants must grow into the bone undisturbed. Within two months, titanium implants grow so firmly into the bone that they cannot be unscrewed again. If an implant is subjected to recurring loads during this healing period that move it more than 0.15 millimetres in the bone, healing could be jeopardized. Loosening would then occur and the implant would be lost. For completeness: Only in selected situations can implants be fitted with teeth immediately after insertion (immediately or after a few days). However, the risk of failure is then higher.
Two healing methods
There are basically two methods of waiting for the implants to heal. The first is concealed healing: the gums are sutured tightly over the implants after they have been inserted. They are therefore not visible during the healing period and cannot be disturbed by tooth cleaning. The second method is open healing: the freshly placed implant is closed with a cover that protrudes a few millimeters through the gums into the oral cavity from the start. The healing of such implants can theoretically be disturbed mechanically.
Caution with open healing
There are no scientific studies that have investigated whether modern sonic toothbrushes interfere with the healing of implants. To be on the safe side, I usually opt for concealed healing, also because this method offers many other advantages. Any hygiene method is possible within the framework of concealed healing, even the use of a sonic toothbrush will not disturb the healing of the implants. If your dentist chooses the second method (open healing), I recommend that you do not use a sonic toothbrush in the corresponding region of the mouth for the first six weeks.
Once the implants have healed, they and the attached crowns can be cleaned with modern sonic toothbrushes without any restrictions or problems. The same applies to your own teeth and crowns or bridges on your own teeth at any time.
AuthorDr. med. dent. Jürg Eppenberger
Published in: Neue Luzerner Zeitung on June 13, 2011