Dental implants have helped ground break a modern solution for tooth loss. But what are the problems that come with dental implants? What can you do about them, and which situation requires a professional? At Innovo Dental Implant Studio, we address some of the most pressing questions and concerns about the problems caused by dental implants.
Dental Implants are surgically attached to the jaw bone to support a tooth artificial. Once they are in place, your dentist will mount a replacement tooth to the implant.
A high percentage of dental implants are successful, but some people experience dental implant failure. It is estimated that 5-10% of these implants fail, either shortly after the placement or months or years later. Your dentist may recommend dental implants if:
- You have cavities
- You’re having a broken or fractured tooth
- There’s excessive tooth wear from grinding your teeth
- You just had an injury
What Factors Impact Dental Implant Success?
After getting a dental implant near you, various factors can affect your success. They include:
Insufficient Jawbone
A successful procedure is dependent on the jawbone to support the implant. When you don’t have enough healthy bone, the surgeon cannot surgically place the implant into your jaw.
Bone loss can happen with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis develops when your bone density decreases. As a result, bones can become fragile, leading to an increased risk of fractures. In addition, severe gum disease can deteriorate bones in your mouth.
Gum Disease
Having healthy gums is a criterion for dental implant surgery, and you can’t have a dental implant procedure when you have gum disease. An untreated infection can develop around the implant and lead to failure. Therefore, you should see a dentist to treat your gums before having an implant.
Smoking
Smoking restricts blood flow to the gums leading to a slow healing process. Research shows that smokers can have an implant failure rate of 20%. Of course, if you’re a smoker, it doesn’t mean you can’t have dental implants. But quitting smoking one week before the procedure and two months after will give a better outcome.
Poor Dental Maintenance
Having good oral hygiene after a dental implant can increase the success rate of the implant. However, you’re not an appropriate candidate for an implant if you don’t clean your teeth thoroughly.
Early Common Problems of Dental Implant
Complications and problems from dental implant surgery can happen shortly after the procedure. However, you’ll experience some discomfort and pain after surgery which you can manage with pain medication. If the pain doesn’t go away after seven days, you should talk to your dentist. Some complications you should keep an eye on after an implant surgery include:
Infection at the Implant Site
An infection can develop after or during surgery. In addition, risk factors such as smoking and bad oral hygiene can lead to an infection.
Implant Micro-Movements
When your dental implant lacks stability after an immediate tooth replacement can lead to micro-movements of the implant.
Failure to Follow Your Dentist’s Instructions
Your habits and activities have an impact on your implant success too. It’s important to follow your surgeon’s post-surgery instructions to lower the risk of complications. When you come for a dental implant in Tracy, CA, our dentist may instruct you to eat soft foods until the area with the implant heals, avoid hard candy and practice good oral hygiene.
Long Term Issues of Dental Implant
Dental implant complications can develop years later after the procedure. The long-term issues of a dental implant include:
- Foreign body rejection can occur years after the dental implant procedure. This happens when your body rejects an implant. Signs of rejection include swelling, fever, increased pain at the implant site, and chills.
- Tissue or nerve damage may occur when the implant is placed too close to a nerve by your surgeon. Signs of damage include tingling and numbness in the lips, gums, tongue, or face.
- When a dental implant is placed in the upper jaw, it can protrude into the sinus cavity.
- Injury to the implant site can lead to injury failure.
To minimize the occurrence of long-term problems, you should practice good oral care and visit our dentist in 95376, CA, regularly for routine check-ups.