Dental Implants – Causes and How to Avoid Them

Dental Implant Problems – Causes and How to Avoid Them

Over 3 million Americans have undergone a dental implant procedure. This is according to the AAID, American Academy of Implant Dentistry. The majority of these implants are successful with AAID reporting a success rate of 98%.

However, sometimes, dental implants problems occur. Fortunately, virtually all of them are treatable. Most of these problems occur during the early stages of the healing process.

It is important that you understand the different dental implants complications, their causes, and how you can avoid them.

Here are causes of dental implant problems and the complications they can bring;

Problems Arising From Surgical Technique Used

A well-trained dental surged should make the surgical procedure feel easy. This is because they have the needed knowledge of proper surgical methods to ensure the procedure is comfortable and that healing occurs as intended.

When you are operated by someone who has no experience or proper knowledge about dental implants, complications, and infection of the area operated are likely to occur.

It is important that you do thorough research of the best dentists in your locality. Avoid cheap dental practitioners as they may compromise certain things. Trying to save money with cheap dental implants may end up becoming costly in the long-run because of subsequent infections that may follow.

Therefore, always check the track record of the dental practitioner you are working on their website and social media pages before you visit their offices. If they do not have a professional-looking website and well-managed social media pages, that’s a red flag.

Keep in mind that a dental implant is a surgical procedure and thus should be carried out by a professional dentist. All the aseptic and sterile procedures must be observed to lower the chances of infections from the tools used.

Infection and Poor Healing

The mouth has a lot of bacteria, and thus can easily develop an infection. You can expect mild pain, discomfort, and swelling for 1-4 days after the procedure has been done. However, anything beyond that signifies there is something wrong with the implant, and you should talk to your dentist.

Many issues involved with poor healing and infections emanate from a patient failure to follow all the post-surgery instructions given by a dentist. On rare occasions, an infection may develop a month after surgery. This may be because of an underlying issue that was not detected during evaluation. If an infection is detected early, it is dealt with accordingly to increase the chances of success.

Here are several signs of dental implant infection;

Bad breath/bad taste that persists

Bleeding or puss of the implant area or gums

Difficulty in chewing

Loose implant

Red or swollen gums

Pain or fever

If you experience any of these signs, call your dentist immediately.

A Medical Condition Affecting the Healing Process

If you suffer from diabetes, gum diseases, or cancer, you may experience delayed healing. This can also happen with people who smoke or drink alcohol or those using other medications meant to treat different ailments.

You must be honest with your dental surgeon regarding a pre-existing condition you may have before they perform a dental implant procedure on you.

Tissue and Nerve Damage

This may be caused by accidental damages when the implant was being placed. If an implant is positioned too close to the nerve endings, the nerves might get damaged, resulting in discomfort, chronic pain, and numbness in the area of operation.

In most cases, if not dealt with early, nerve damage can be permanent. Ask your dentist about the pain you should expect beforehand so that you can use their explanation as the reference point to judge against.

In case you experience more pain than expected, immediately talk to your dental practitioner to have the area checked.

It is important that you work with a reputable dentist who has all the necessary certifications. These dentists will be keen on sterile and aseptic techniques. They also understand the proper guidelines and procedures, which means you will have a lower risk of tissue and nerve damages when operated by them.

Micro-movement of Dental Implants

Dental implants should be immobile for several weeks to allow osseointegration to occur. Any slight movement hinders the bonding process between the implant and the jaw bone.

Your implant is more vulnerable during the first 8-12 weeks as it is still growing into the bone and soft tissues. If movements happen, they can be painful, and you could end up being operated again.

To prevent this, follow the dietary guidelines and recommendations given by your dentist. Keep in mind that you may need to be on a liquid diet for some time to allow your implant to bond with your jaw bone (osseointegration).

Failed Osseointegration

This is one of the most common problems reported by people who have undergone a dental implant procedure. It occurs when the implant doesn’t bond to the jawbone. After a few months, the dental implant should be firmly anchored into the jawbone. This is what is called osseointegration. If the implant loosens up, the whole process is a failure.

Here are a few major reasons why the implant may fail to fuse successfully into your jawbone

• Lack of enough bone density and volume

• Wrong position of the dental implant

• Fracturing the implant

• Smoking

• A hit on the face

• Damaged one structure around the implant

If the implant becomes loose, you need to see your dentist immediately to get it fixed and prevent infections.

Failure to Follow Your Dentist’s Instructions

Failure to follow your dentist’s post-surgery infection can lead to dental implant problems or failure. Some of the instructions given include reducing physical activities, maintaining good oral hygiene, following a liquid diet plan, and taking your medication as prescribed.

Failure to follow these instructions can lead to loosening up your implant or infections around the operated area.

Overloading

At times, the surgeon may decide to place the abutment and crown on a patient’s implant immediately after the first operation.

Normally, dental implants are a two-stage procedure, and the reason for this is to give the implant time to integrate successfully with the jawbone before adding the crown and abutment. When loading is done immediately after the first operation, this means that complications may occur.

When a surgeon conducts the two procedures in one setting, this places undue stress on the implant, thereby making it hard for the osseointegration process to occur.

Complications Arising from Bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates are medication taken for osteoporosis or bone loss. The four most common ones include Boniva, Actonel, Fosamax, and Reclast. These drugs inhibit osteoclastic activity (prevent cells from destroying bones).

However, despite them playing this important role, extensive research on dental implants has shown that complications from some bisphosphonates cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (death of jawbone).

Although the risk is small, it is important to tell your dentist if you take bisphosphonate to prevent osteoporosis.

Final Thoughts

Dental implants are the best tooth-replacement method. However, just like anything else, there can occur problems/complications. Most of these problems can be avoided by working with an experienced professional.

If you have any medical condition, discuss them beforehand with your dentist. Also, follow all the instructions given by your dentist.