Dental implants are a popular cosmetic solution for replacing missing teeth. During this treatment, your dentist will permanently fix false teeth customized to match the color of your teeth and your smile.
Although dental implants have a high success rate, sometimes this treatment may fail because of certain medical conditions, complications of the surgery, and infection at the implant site. Look out for these signs of dental implant failure.
Implants Feeling Loose
Dental implants work through a biological process called osseointegration. During this process, the body produces cells that grow around the implant's surface and attach it to your jawbone. As time passes, healthy bones surround the implant.
However, if osseointegration fails, you experience problems after implantation. One of the signs that osseointegration has failed is if your implant feels wobbly. As a result, the implant will move when you talk or chew.
Also, you should be alarmed if your implant shifts during osseointegration. This happens because the abutment is mobile and susceptible to pressure, and when this instability worsens, it leads to dental implant failure.
Gum Tissue Recession
If you fail to care for your dental implants, plaque will form at the base of the crowns. Tartar starts to develop at the gum line. Although plaque doesn't affect porcelain, the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque will eat away at your gums. When left untreated, bacteria start to destroy your gum tissue. Eventually, the gums begin to pull back from the implant, a condition called gum recession.
Observing proper oral hygiene is recommended for the longevity of your dental implants. Also, visit your dentist regularly to determine whether you have signs of gum recession.
Severe Pain and Discomfort
After you get dental implants, you may experience pain as you heal. It is normal to experience pain during the first few days of healing. You can take painkillers to control this pain.
However, if you are experiencing excruciating pain in the form of throbbing waves, you are dealing with dental implant failure. This pain comes long after the implant procedure.
In Closing
If you experience chewing or speaking difficulties after a dental implant procedure, toothache or mouth pain, swelling in the gums, or discharge from the affected area, visit a dentist. Your dentist will pull out the existing prosthetic and leave you to heal before fixing a new implant. If the bone around the implant isn't strong enough, you might undergo a bone graft. Other alternatives your dentist may consider include dental bridges and dentures.
Contact your dentist if you have questions about dental implants.
Share31 May 2022
When the bottled water craze began, I jumped on the bandwagon with everyone else who was drinking water from bottles instead of from the tap. I wasn't sure why bottled water was healthier, but I liked the taste. When I went for my next dental check-up, I had my first cavity in a while, so I had it filled and didn't think much of it. Well, I had two more during my next check-up after that, and I began trying to think of why my teeth were suddenly going bad. The only change in my habits was the switch to bottled water, so I made the switch back to tap water and my teeth began to improve. I created this blog to encourage others who have begun getting cavities suddenly to look into their changes in habits. They may find they made a change similar to mine.