What are some common issues with dental implants?

While dental implants enjoy a staggering 95 per cent to 98 per cent success rate, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t an issue or two that can arise from time to time.

The good news though is that if anything should arise, then chances are it’ll be short lived, and will likely occur while in the early stages of healing from the implant fitting, before the crown can be put in place.

If you’ve been thinking about getting dental implants, or have recently returned from undergoing your dental implants Turkey treatment, then you’ll no doubt be wondering just what exactly could go awry (though in the case of the latter your dental surgeon should’ve walked you through everything), at least so you can be prepared should the unlikely occur.

So again, while the chances of anything going wrong are incredibly low, the following are just a few examples of some common issues with dental implants that have been known to pop up from time to time.

Infection

Infection is a fairly common risk for anyone undergoing any type of surgical procedure, so it’s certainly not an issue exclusive to dental implants.

Any infection that could arise as a result of your dental implant surgery will be fairly minimal, and chances are it’ll occur during the procedure. There is the rare chance that an infection could occur more than a month after the surgery has taken place, but in most cases it’ll be due to some kind of underlying issue that wasn’t discovered prior to the procedure.

Some of the symptoms of dental implant infection include:

• A loose implant
• Pain
• Chewing difficulties
• Fever
• Red, swollen gums
• Blood or pus coming from the gums around the implant site
• Bat breath or taste that won’t go away

As long as symptoms such as these are caught early on and dealt with swiftly, then there’s no reason it should affect the later stages of the procedure.

Poor Healing

Poor healing can sometimes occur after the dental implant has been installed. Typically, you should expect any mild pain, discomfort, and/or swelling to last for 1 to 4 days after the dental implant procedure, and anything that takes longer should be brought to the attention of your dentist.

Most issues with poor healing, much like with infections, will come down to improper following of post-surgical advice, and again, as long as it’s brought to your dentist’s attention and dealt with promptly, there’s no reason it should jeopardise the rest of your dental implant surgery.

Poor Bone Mass

For a successful dental implant procedure, a process known as osseointegration needs to take place. This in essence is where the jawbone and surrounding tissues fuse with the dental implant to keep it strong and secure in its place, and when a patient has poor bone mass, this process can’t successfully take place.

Many patients who’ve been missing teeth for a while will likely have lost some degree of lost bone mass, and when this is the case, a relatively simple bone graft will need to be performed before the rest of the procedure can go ahead.

Dental Implant Micromovements

It’s important that your dental implants keep immobile for a number of weeks while the osseointegration process does its magic. If there are any movements during this time, no matter how subtle, then the implants will become unstable and won’t be suitable for the next steps of the procedure.

The initial healing period after the implants have been installed is around 8 to 12 weeks, and there’s a risk of soft tissue ingrowth occurring if the implant doesn’t properly fuse with the jawbone. This can be very painful, and would likely require further surgery if it occurs.

The best way to avoid any issues such as these is to make sure you follow all dietary recommendations that your dentist provides you with for the 8 to 12 week period. Chances are you’ll need to be on a liquid diet for a while, before moving up to soft foods.

Certain Medical Conditions

There are a number of medical conditions that could affect your body’s ability to heal after your dental implant surgery, which could then have an adverse effect on the success of the procedure.

If you suffer from conditions such as diabetes, gum disease, or cancer, then it’s vital that you let your dental surgeon know ahead of time while discussing your medical history, as this could make you ineligible for the treatment. Likewise, smoking, heavy drinking, or certain medications or drugs could also have the same adverse effect.

Inexperienced Surgeons

One of the simpler complications you can prevent yourself is to avoid selecting a dental surgeon who’s inexperienced. You’ll always want to ensure that whomever you select for the job is well certified, and registered with all relevant governing bodies.

Always ask to see before and after photos, as well as figuring out a number of questions you’ll want to ask your dental surgeon during your consultation. Any reputable and experienced dental surgeon will know exactly what’s what, and will be keen to establish whether or not you’re well suited to the procedure, as well as fully understanding all relevant guidelines associated with dental implant surgery.

Failing to Follow Your Dentist’s Orders

Again, much like above, this is a simple one that falls under your control. It’s always important that you follow any instructions that are provided to you by your dentist, and they’ll usually be pretty straightforward and simple. If at any time you neglect to follow his or her instruction, it could likely cause a complication to arise.

Rejection by the Body

A dental implant is made of titanium, partly due to it’s lightweight nature and strength, but also because of its highly successful ability to be accepted by the body.

From time to time this may not work out so well though, and it’s possible the titanium implant could be rejected. If the body does happen to decide it’s a foreign object that needs removing, it’ll slowly push the implant out.

Photo: Lesly Juarez, Unsplash