Dental Implant Problems
About three million people in the United States already have dental implants and about 500,000 people each year have dental implant surgery, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. The success rate of the procedure is around 95%, but because it is a surgery, there are potential complications.
The common problems that can develop during or after surgery are:
- Infection It is easy to prevent infection by carefully following the aftercare instructions from the dentist. If you do end up with an infection, you may require antibiotics, a tissue graft, a procedure to remove the infected tissue, or even a bone graft.
- Gum recession Depending on your body’s reaction to the implant, you may notice that your gums are starting to recede where the implant was placed. Without the gum tissue to support the implant properly, you could start to suffer from pain and inflammation or you may require the removal of the implant without proper treatment.
- Loose implant During the implant surgery, the dentist will place the implant below the gums and into the jaw bone. The implant will start to fuse with the bone and create a stable support for the replacement tooth. If the implant does not fuse with the bone, the dentist will need to remove the implant.
- Nerve or tissue damage Depending on where your missing tooth is located in your mouth and your body’s specific anatomy, the dentist may place the implant too close to a nerve. If this is the case you will start to experience numbness, tingling and possibly pain.
The less common problems that can develop during or after surgery are:
- Sinus issues If you have a missing tooth on your upper jaw that you are looking to replace with a dental implant, then you may have an issue if your implant protrudes into your sinus cavity. The introduction of this foreign object will cause your sinuses to swell or sinusitis. If you think that you may be suffering from a problem with your sinuses as a result of your dental implant then you may feel like your nose is blocked. You may have green or yellow mucus coming from your nose and problem smelling as well as you used to. Sinus inflammation can lead to headaches, toothaches and even fevers. If there is an infection your sinuses, you may notice a bad taste in your mouth or even bad breath that does not go away after brushing or rinsing.
- Damage from excessive force No matter if your teeth are natural or artificial, if you bite down too hard on certain foods, you can crack or fracture your teeth, roots, or implants. You may not notice that you have been choosing to chew inappropriate foods for your dental implant until it becomes loose. In other instances, your implant can suffer if you bite down hard or grind your teeth in your sleep. A mouth guard is an easy way to prevent damage to your implant as well as your natural teeth.
- Long-term issues There is a specific type of gum disease that can affect your dental implant called peri-implantitis which leads to bone loss where the implant meets the bone. It can take up to five years to progress and display symptoms. Other people’s bodies can reject the dental implant due to the metals that are used in the titanium alloy. For people who have had metal allergies in the past, it may be good to undergo testing before their dental implant surgery.