Placing a dental implant is the beginning of the clinical relationship, not the end of it. What happens in the months and years after surgery – and how well a patient maintains their oral hygiene at home – will have a direct bearing on the longevity of that treatment and the health of the surrounding tissue.
It is a message that specialist periodontists Amit Patel and Payvand Mehadji, and dental therapist Linzy Baker, return to throughout a new video produced by the ADI in partnership with Oral-B Professional. The video forms part of a wider campaign to raise awareness of peri-implant disease and improve the quality of patient education in practice. But it is only part of the story – and if you haven’t watched it yet, it is well worth doing so.
The scale of the problem
Peri-implant disease affects around one in five patients who have had dental implants placed. As Linzy Baker, dental hygienist & therapist, explains, it is one of the most significant post-surgical complications clinicians face – and one that is closely tied to patient behaviour after treatment.
“Peri-implant disease affects 20% of the population that have had implants placed,” she says. “Post-surgery, it’s one of the biggest complications we have.”
Amit Patel, specialist periodontist, is equally direct about what is at stake: the leaflet exists specifically to help patients understand not just what peri-implant disease is, but what could happen to their dental implant if oral hygiene standards are not maintained.
Supportive therapy: keeping patients on track
Treatment for peri-implantitis does not end at the point of intervention. Payvand Menhadji, specialist periodontist and implant surgeon, describes the principle of supportive therapy – the structured, ongoing care that sits at the heart of long-term implant success.
“One of the steps in treating peri-implantitis is called supportive therapy,” she explains. “What that means is ongoing care, patient compliance, education in their cleaning and their lifestyle factors to minimise the risk and relapse of peri-implantitis.”
Patient compliance depends, in large part, on patient understanding. That is where the educational resources developed by the ADI and Oral-B Professional come in.
Closing the information gap
A clinical consultation can cover a great deal of ground in a short space of time. Payvand Menhadji puts it plainly: information can go over a patient’s head, or they may only retain part of what they have been told. A well-designed leaflet, taken home and referred to when needed, helps to close that gap.
Linzy Baker emphasises the importance of the ADI’s involvement in ensuring the leaflet is grounded in evidence: “We want to make sure that we are delivering evidence-based treatment options and care options so that patients can look after their implants to the best of their ability.”
The right tools for home care
The leaflet also addresses the practical question of which tools patients should be using – and the Oral-B iO features prominently. Its oscillating-rotating action is well suited to the geometry of cleaning around an implant margin, while the electric pressure sensor provides real-time feedback to patients who may be brushing too hard – reducing the risk of trauma to peri-implant tissue.
Linzy Baker has seen the difference it makes in practice: “The results that my patients get using things like the Oral-B iO – they come back to me with better results.” Payvand adds, “With implants, it’s a really good tool to use.”
The recommendation extends to toothpaste. Oral-B’s stannous fluoride formulation offers antibacterial properties that go beyond standard fluoride toothpastes, supporting better plaque control in patients whose implants are at risk.
Watch the video
This article covers the themes – but the conversation between Amit Patel, Linzy Baker, and Payvand Menhadji brings them to life. Watch the full video and download the patient leaflet here.
For more information, please visit www.adi.org.uk
Join today!
