Top 5 Problems With Dental Implants
Problems with dental implants occasionally occur; however, all of these problems are largely preventable. Learning how to keep your dental implants healthy and strong is the first step in ensuring that future problems like infection and breakage don’t occur.
A responsible dental professional will always perform a thorough evaluation to assess your eligibility for implants before recommending dental implant surgery. He or she will also provide detailed care and instructions before and after placement. Following these instructions and maintaining good oral health hygiene at home will help to prevent any issues with your implants.
1. Gum Disease
Gum disease is the top reason for dental implant complications. Gum disease can lead to peri-implantitis—an infection in the gum tissue surrounding the implant post. According to research, infection is one of the most frequent yet avoidable causes of dental implant failure.
Dental implants work best when supported by healthy tissues. Patients who are considering dental implant surgery should ensure that they have healthy gums ahead of the procedure. If an individual does have active gum disease, the dentist may delay the dental implant procedure until the gum or periodontal disease has been treated successfully.
2. Osseointegration Failure
Dental implant posts need to fuse with the surrounding bone tissue completely so that the implant can hold up under normal bite force. This process is known as osseointegration. Rarely, osseointegration failure can occur. When this happens, the implant can become loose or fall out.
Failed osseointegration usually occurs due to low bone density in the jaw. Experienced dental implant surgeons like Dr. Salin in Bakersfield always evaluate patients’ oral health and bone density carefully before recommending a dental implant procedure and perform a bone graft first if needed.
3. Nerve Damage from Dental Implant Surgery
Although rare, nerve damage—also described as peripheral nerve injury—may happen if an artificial tooth is placed too close to the nerve. A damaged inferior alveolar nerve causes a considerable amount of pain. Some of the most common symptoms of nerve damage after dental implant surgery include:
Numbness around the site of the implant
A tingling-like or burning sensation around the gums, mouth, chin, or tongue
Impaired speech or drooling
Consistent moderate-to-severe pain in the mouth or jaw
Nerve damage generally happens when a patient is treated by an inexperienced oral surgeon. That’s why it’s vital to work with a skilled dental surgeon who specializes in dental implant procedures. Working with an experienced dental surgeon will also help you prevent other surgery-related nightmares like implants placed in the upper jaw that protrude into the sinus cavity (this has never occurred with any of the implants placed at our dental office).
4. Autoimmune Diseases and Other Underlying Conditions
Problems sometimes occur with dental implants due to underlying conditions such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. There are three main reasons for this:
Inflammation is a common symptom of some of these conditions. Systemic inflammation makes it harder to heal from dental implant surgery.
Patients with systemic diseases are more prone to infection after dental implant surgery.
Certain medications that are prescribed for autoimmune diseases can affect bone quality over time. This also increases the likelihood of dental implant failure.
While the risk of complications from implant surgery is slightly higher with an underlying condition, patients with chronic illnesses are not automatically disqualified from receiving dental implant surgery.
Studies show that dental implants are a safe tooth replacement option for people with autoimmune diseases with the proper management and care. Each patient should be evaluated on an individual basis to decide whether a dental implant procedure is suitable for them.
5. Poor Oral Hygiene
Poor oral hygiene contributes to dental implant failure. That’s because poor oral hygiene can increase the risk of complications during and after implant surgery. Plaque and bacteria buildup on the teeth can cause infections which can lead to both early and late implant failure.
Patients who have undergone dental implant surgery should practice proper oral hygiene by brushing their implants and natural teeth with a nylon soft-bristle toothbrush and flossing regularly. Patients should also be well informed about proper dental implant care and dental implant infection signs to look out for. Regular dental checkups and cleanings are also essential for dental implant success.
Most Problems With Dental Implants Are Preventable
Most of the problems that occur with dental implants—like osseointegration failure and nerve damage—can be avoided by choosing a skilled dental implant surgeon and being properly prepared for the dental implant procedure. Taking good care of your oral health before and after dental implant surgery will also help to prevent complications.
Even though problems with dental implants do rarely occur, dental implants are a safe and effective solution for missing teeth. Talk to your oral surgeon about any concerns that you have and follow all pre and postoperative instructions to the letter for the greatest chance of implant success.