How to properly care for teeth after installing crowns, bridges or implants?

Why Post-Treatment Care is Essential

The installation of crowns, bridges, or implants is a significant step towards a healthier and more functional smile. However, the true success of these prosthetic procedures does not end at the dental clinic—it begins at home.

Understanding how to properly care for teeth after the procedure is crucial for the long-term stability, functionality, and aesthetic appearance of dental restorations. Contrary to common belief, crowns and implants require continuous and careful maintenance. Poor habits, neglecting hygiene, and an inappropriate diet can lead to complications that jeopardise the entire procedure.

In this article, we explain how to properly maintain oral hygiene after the installation of prosthetic work, which dietary habits to adopt, and which mistakes to avoid if you want to preserve the health of your smile.

What Do We Mean by Crowns, Bridges, and Implants?

Before moving on to practical advice, it is important to understand the basic differences between the most common forms of prosthetic therapy:

• Dental crowns are prosthetic covers that encase a damaged tooth, restoring its shape, strength, and aesthetics.
• Bridges replace one or more missing teeth by relying on adjacent natural teeth or implants.
• Implants are titanium screws that are surgically embedded into the bone, acting as the root of a tooth, onto which a crown is placed.

Regardless of the type of prosthetic solution, proper care extends their lifespan and protects the health of surrounding teeth and tissues.

Dental Care After Installing Crowns – How to Preserve Their Functionality and Aesthetics?

Dental crowns are an aesthetic and functional solution that can last 10 years or more, but only with proper care.

• Proper Brushing and Flossing. Although the crown cannot decay like a natural tooth, the area around it is still sensitive. Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and use dental floss or interdental brushes to clean between the teeth. Don’t forget: plaque and bacteria can accumulate at the junction between the crown and the gum.
• Regular Check-Ups with Your Dentist: A check-up every 6 months is recommended to detect any potential changes in time. Dental X-rays can show changes beneath the crown that are not visible to the naked eye.
• Common Mistakes in Crown Maintenance
  • Neglecting to clean the junction between the crown and the gum.
  • Using overly hard brushes can cause gum recession.
  • Avoiding flossing due to fear that the crown might be damaged—proper technique prevents any damage.

Dental Care After Installing a Bridge – Maintaining Stability and Hygiene

A dental bridge relies on teeth or implants and replaces one or more missing teeth. Although they are strong and functional, the most commonly overlooked aspect of bridges is cleaning beneath the false teeth.

• How to Properly Maintain a Dental Bridge?
  • Brushing: Use a soft-bristled brush to thoroughly clean the surface of the bridge, especially the junctions between the bridge and the gum.
  • Using Dental Floss or Threaded Floss (Super Floss): This specialised floss is designed to clean under the “false” tooth in the bridge. It prevents the accumulation of food and bacteria, which can cause gum inflammation.
  • Interdental Brushes and Oral Irrigators: Ideal for people who want additional assurance of cleanliness beneath bridges. Oral irrigators flush out hard-to-reach areas, including beneath dental restorations.
• What to Avoid with a Dental Bridge?
  • Biting on ice, nuts, or hard candies can cause cracks.
  • Skipping evening brushing—the night is when bacteria multiply the most, especially if food debris remains beneath the bridge.

Dental Care After Installing Implants – How to Prevent Peri-implantitis?

Implants are a long-term solution that, if properly maintained, can last a lifetime. However, if hygiene is neglected, inflammatory processes such as peri-implantitis—gum and bone inflammation around the implant—can occur, potentially leading to implant loss.

• Basic Hygiene Rules Around Implants:
  • Brush the implant area as you would your natural teeth, but carefully and regularly.
  • Use an oral irrigator or interdental brushes that don’t damage the implant surface.
  • Regularly clean beneath the superstructure (crown on the implant), where food debris tends to accumulate.
  • Avoid nicotine—smoking significantly increases the risk of implant failure.
• How Often Should You Have Check-Ups? Check-ups every 4–6 months are recommended, especially during the first year after installation. Professional cleaning of implants in the dental clinic at least once a year is mandatory.

Dietary Recommendations After Prosthetic Work

Proper nutrition plays a significant role in maintaining the health of your new teeth.

• Foods to Prefer:
  • Soft, easily chewable food during the first weeks after installing implants or bridges.
  • Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D (dairy products, fish, eggs).
  • Vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants that support gum health.
• Foods to Avoid:
  • Hard food: candies, nuts, raw carrots.
  • Sticky foods: caramel, chewing gum—these can stick to prosthetic work and make cleaning difficult.
  • Highly spicy and acidic foods can irritate sensitive gums after the procedure.

Tip: Always chew food evenly on both sides of your jaw—this saves prosthetic work and evenly distributes pressure.

Common Mistakes After Installing Prosthetic Restorations

1. Neglecting Daily Hygiene, Patients often believe that implants or crowns don’t require care because they “aren’t real teeth.” This is a misconception. Bacteria still attack the gums and can cause inflammation.
2. Improper Use of Dental Floss Using floss without knowing the proper technique can lead to gum damage or recession around prosthetic restorations.
3. Skipping Check-Ups Regular dental check-ups are crucial—your dentist can detect inflammation or cracks early, which you may not feel right away.
4. Inadequate Diet Consuming hard, sticky food can damage prosthetic elements and shorten their lifespan.

How to Recognise That Something Is Wrong?

If you experience the following symptoms, don’t wait—visit your dentist as soon as possible:

• Bleeding when brushing your teeth
• The unpleasant odour that persists despite brushing
• Swelling of the gums around prosthetic elements
• Shifting of the bridge or crown
• Sensitivity of the implant when chewing

When to Seek Help from a Dentist?

Although proper hygiene and routine care can significantly extend the lifespan of prosthetic restorations, there are situations where timely intervention is essential. Visiting your dentist on time can prevent more significant complications and additional costs.

Symptoms to Watch Out For:

• Change in bite sensation—if you feel like “something is not sitting right,” it’s possible that the crown or bridge has shifted.
• Pain or discomfort when chewing—this may indicate inflammation around the implant or abutment tooth.
• Bleeding or swelling of the gums—an early sign of inflammation or bacterial infection.
• Instability of prosthetic work—if the crown, bridge, or implant feels loose, visit the dentist immediately.
• Unpleasant odour—especially if it does not go away after brushing, as it may indicate the presence of bacteria beneath the bridge or in the implant area.

Tip: Even if there are no symptoms, regular check-ups every 6 months help keep your prosthetic restoration stable, functional, and aesthetically perfect.

How Poliklinika Esthea Helps Patients After Prosthetic Treatments?

Poliklinika Esthea provides comprehensive post-treatment care and long-term support to all patients who have undergone crown, bridge, or implant procedures. Our goal is not only to provide functional replacements for lost teeth but also to preserve overall oral health through personalised care.

Our support includes:

• Detailed post-treatment education – every patient receives instructions on proper hygiene, nutrition, and maintenance.
• Individualised check-up and follow-up plan – based on the type of prosthetic work, we create a schedule for regular check-ups and professional cleaning.
• Professional plaque removal around prosthetic work – especially important with implants and bridges, where areas are hard to reach.
• Treatments for sensitive gums (gingiva) – including local antiseptics, gels, and advice on gentle routines.
• Consultations and adjustments – if we notice signs of shifting, bite irregularities, or aesthetic problems, we respond quickly.

For us, patient care does not stop after installation. Poliklinika Esthea stands by you every step of the way—from the first consultation to long-term maintenance of a healthy smile.

Long-Term Care for a Smile That Lasts

Installing crowns, bridges, or implants is a significant step toward the functionality and aesthetics of your smile. However, the true success does not end with the procedure—it begins after it. Proper post-treatment care, daily hygiene, careful food selection, and regular check-ups are key to preserving the longevity of prosthetic restorations and gum health.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach—each installation is different, just like each mouth. That’s why it’s important to work with an expert team that understands your needs and offers personalised advice.

If you already have or plan on getting prosthetic work, make sure your care for your teeth is as professional as the treatment itself. Proper care today—a lasting smile tomorrow.