Dentistry focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating conditions of the teeth, gums, and oral structures, supporting oral health and overall well-being.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
The materials and prosthetics created through digital dentistry, such as milled zirconia, 3D-printed resins, and titanium implants, have unique surface characteristics and biological interactions. Therefore, the hygiene protocols for these restorations differ from those for natural teeth. At Liv Hospital, we emphasize that while these materials cannot decay, they are susceptible to biofilm accumulation, which can induce inflammation in the surrounding tissues (mucositis and peri-implantitis). Understanding the specific needs of CAD/CAM materials ensures the long-term success of the digital restoration.
Zirconia is the workhorse of digital dentistry. It is highly biocompatible but requires specific care to maintain its surface polish.
Avoid Abrasives: Zirconia is very hard, but the glaze on the surface can be scratched by abrasive whitening toothpastes or baking soda. Once scratched, the rough surface attracts plaque. Use low-abrasion gel toothpaste.
Flossing Contacts: Zirconia crowns have very tight, precise contacts. Patients should use waxed floss or PTFE (Teflon) floss to slide easily between teeth without shredding.
Water Irrigation: Because zirconia is often used for bridges, water flossers are essential for flushing out debris from underneath the connectors, where a toothbrush cannot reach.
Professional Polishing: During hygiene visits, the hygienist should use specific diamond-impregnated polishing pastes to restore smoothness and prevent bacterial adhesion on the zirconia surface.
Clear aligners cover the teeth for 22 hours a day, preventing saliva from washing away bacteria.
Cleaning the Aligner: Aligners should be cleaned every time they are removed. Use a separate soft toothbrush and mild liquid soap. Avoid hot water, which can warp the 3D printed thermoplastic.
Soaking Protocols: Soak aligners daily in denture cleaner or specific aligner cleaning crystals to kill bacteria and prevent clouding.
Teeth Cleaning: Never put aligners back in without brushing and flossing first. Trapping food and sugar inside the aligner creates an “acid bath” that rapidly demineralizes enamel (white spot lesions).
Stain Prevention: Remove aligners when drinking anything other than water. Coffee, tea, and turmeric can stain the plastic, making the “invisible” treatment visible.
Implants placed via guided surgery have a high success rate, but hygiene is the key to longevity.
Superfloss Use: For single implants, use floss with a spongy component (Superfloss) to clean the implant neck. Wrap the floss in a “C” shape or a full circle (“shoe-shine” motion) to remove biofilm from the titanium surface.
Interdental Brushes: For full-arch “All-on-X” bridges, use coated wire interdental brushes to clean between the bridge and the gum. Uncoated metal wires can scratch the titanium abutment, creating a niche for bacteria.
Water Flosser Technique: Use a water flosser on a medium setting. Aim the tip horizontally to shoot water through the gap between the bridge and the gum, flushing out food debris.
Chemical Adjuncts: If bleeding occurs (mucositis), use a non-staining chlorhexidine rinse or a locally applied gel with an interdental brush to reduce the bacterial load.
Porosity Considerations
3D printed resins can be slightly more porous than heat-cured acrylics if not processed correctly, making them prone to odors.
Daily Scrubbing: Scrub the appliance daily with a denture brush and non-abrasive soap. Toothpaste is too abrasive, creating microscratches that harbor bacteria and fungi (Candida).
Drying: Allow the appliance to dry completely when not in use (unless otherwise instructed). Fungi thrive in moist environments.
Chemical Soaking: Use an effervescent cleaner specifically designed for printed resins. Some standard cleaners may bleach the pigments used in digital dentures.
Inspection: Check the appliance regularly for white spots or cracks. Printed layers can sometimes delaminate; if this happens, bacteria can enter the crack, and the appliance may need to be replaced.
Although guided surgery is minimally invasive, the surgical site must be kept clean to ensure osseointegration.
Soft Brushing: Use an ultra-soft surgical toothbrush on the teeth adjacent to the surgical site. Do not brush the sutures or the healing cap directly for the first week.
Chlorhexidine Rinse: Rinse gently with 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate twice daily. Do not swish vigorously, as this can disturb the blood clot or the biological seal around the healing cap.
Food Impaction: Avoid eating granular foods (seeds, popcorn) that can get stuck under the healing cap or in the punch hole created by the tissue punch.
Q-Tip Cleaning: Use a cotton swab dipped in chlorhexidine to gently wipe the healing abutment or the temporary crown to remove plaque without traumatizing the gum.
Diet affects the longevity of milled restorations.
Staining Agents: While glazed ceramic is stain-resistant, the resin cements used to bond them can stain at the margins. Limit exposure to coffee, red wine, and tobacco.
Hard Foods: Although zirconia is strong, chewing on ice or hard candy can cause micro-fractures in the veneering porcelain (if used) or damage the opposing natural teeth, which are softer than the restoration.
Acidic Foods: Frequent consumption of highly acidic foods (such as lemons and soda) can etch the glaze on feldspathic ceramics over time, making them rough and prone to staining.
Gum Chewing: Sticky gum can pull on cement-retained implant crowns. Digital protocols often favor screw-retained crowns to avoid this, but caution is still advised.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
It is best to use a non-abrasive gel toothpaste; highly abrasive whitening pastes can scratch the surface glaze, making the crown lose its shine and attract plaque.
You must use a water flosser or specialized floss threaders (Superfloss) to clean the space between the bridge and your gums, as you cannot floss down from the top.
Yes, extremely hot or boiling water can warp the thermoplastic resin of 3D printed splints and aligners, ruining their fit; always use lukewarm or cool water.
Printed resins can develop odors if not cleaned daily; bacteria and fungi can grow in micro-porosities. Daily scrubbing and soaking in an approved cleaner will prevent this.
Yes, electric toothbrushes are safe and highly effective for cleaning implants and digital restorations, provided you use soft bristles and avoid pressing too hard.
Your Comparison List (you must select at least 2 packages)
