Modern oral implant is a more perfect restoration technology for missing teeth and missing teeth, gradually gaining more and more favor from patients with missing teeth due to its many advantages such as aesthetics, reasonable force, good mastication function, and no damage to the remaining teeth when it has already been restored. However, many patients think that dental implants can be done once and for all, and seldom maintain dental implants. Dental implants have a lifespan Dental implants and natural teeth have a lifespan, if the maintenance of dental implants is not appropriate, it will also suffer from a variety of dental and periodontal diseases. The success or failure of any dental implant restoration is closely related to the patient’s own health care awareness and the degree of cooperation with the professional doctor. Therefore, every patient should take care of dental implants like natural teeth to prolong its life. Below we will introduce how to maintain dental implants from the major factors affecting the life of dental implants. The gingival piercing portion of the dental implant forms an epithelial cuff with the gingival epithelium, preventing a variety of infectious substances in the oral cavity from entering the implant osseointegration interface, thus maintaining the long-term stability of the dental implant. Plaque microorganisms can have direct and indirect effects on the tissues surrounding the implant and disrupt osseointegration, so controlling plaque is a daily necessity that patients must do and maintain over time. We can use soft bristle toothbrush and micro-abrasive toothpaste to clean the teeth carefully, and the neighboring surfaces and dead space that cannot be brushed can be cleaned by flossing, gap brushing or toothpicks, but we should use wooden or plastic toothpicks with smooth surface and no burrs, and preferably with oval or triangular cross-section, so as not to injure the gingival papillae and the surface of the implant when using them. At the same time, you can use some special mouthwash, which not only improves the effect of bacteria removal, but also reduces the damage caused by mechanical methods to the delicate implant surface. In addition to daily cleaning, you should also go to the hospital regularly to use special instruments to clean the dental implants, and if necessary, you can also ask a professional physician to dismantle and clean the mechanical parts. Avoid biting hard objects and tough food As the implant is in direct contact with the bone, it is not protected by the cushioning and force feedback of the periodontium of the natural teeth, and it is easily affected by inappropriate biting force, and excessive biting force and undesirable lateral force will lead to the resorption of the alveolar bone. Therefore, it is necessary to transition from soft to harder foods and gradually load the teeth when using dental implants at the beginning. Biting on hard and particularly tough foods should also be avoided during subsequent use. If any abnormalities are found during use, such as dental implants being accidentally hit by external forces, loose dental implants, red gums, pain, bleeding from brushing, etc., you should consult a doctor in a timely manner. In addition, dental implants are connected to each structure by screws or adhesives. Mechanical connection is subject to the limitations of fatigue life and mechanical performance, which may loosen the connection parts of dental implants; adhesive connection may loosen the restoration due to the loosening or aging of the adhesive. Loosening of parts and alveolar bone resorption are often signs of implant overload, requiring patients to visit the hospital in time to adjust the bite and re-secure the dental implants. Dental implants are generally more resistant to wear than natural teeth and may not wear as well as neighboring teeth over time. This may result in the dental implant coming into contact with other teeth earlier than the other teeth when chewing, creating too much bite force. This should also be adjusted in a timely manner by a medical professional. Diseases of bone metabolism affect dental implants Any disease or treatment that affects bone metabolism will affect the life of dental implants, such as diabetes, adrenal gland disease, osteoporosis, radiotherapy treatment, etc., which will result in the loss of bone around the dental implants. Therefore, it is important to actively prevent and control these diseases to extend the life of dental implants. Smoking affects the life span of dental implants Smoking has a direct causal relationship with oral hygiene, periodontal attachment reduction, and also reduces the body’s ability to resist infection, affects the micro-ecological environment in the oral cavity, reduces calcium absorption, and causes bone loss. Therefore, smoking has been recognized as one of the risk factors affecting the long-term prognosis of dental implants. Patients with smoking habit should try to quit smoking and maintain oral hygiene to improve the long-term success rate of dental implants. Other bad habits such as chewing on one side of the mouth and eating hard objects should be corrected as much as possible in order to avoid exerting too much force on the dental implants.