Preventive periimplant protocol.

The primary responsibility of the clinician treating a patient with implant dentistry is to provide a long-term favorable prognosis. In consideration of changes in implant materials and restorative designs, familiarity with the relationship of the periimplant tissues to the implant components is essential. Maintaining healthy tissues requires understanding the influence of the intraoral bacterial flora, recognizing deviations from health, and initiating an appropriate preventive protocol. Various implements that are available for plaque control and debridement are discussed.