Cleaning dental materials comprises: contacting a composition containing a carrier medium and particles based on a metal compound having a weight-average particle diameter of 1 nm to 10 mu m, with a metal or ceramic surface, which is part of a dental restoration or of an implant abutment； and moving the composition on the surface. Independent claims are also included for: (1) restoring a tooth comprising: inserting a dental restoration into a tooth cavity, onto a tooth stump or onto an implant abutment to check the accuracy of fit； optionally, removing the dental restoration from the oral cavity； intra- or extra-orally cleaning the dental restoration and/or intra-orally cleaning the implant abutment, by the method of cleaning dental materials； and adhesively fixing the dental restoration in the oral cavity in the tooth cavity, on the tooth stump or on the implant abutment； and (2) cleaning composition comprising: particles based on a metal compound (5-35 wt.%)； water or aqueous solution (65-95 wt.%) with a pH of 7-14； and optional constituents (0-5 wt.%).
