Brushing, flossing, and making regular dental exams a priority are all necessary tasks if you want to have a healthy and appealing smile. Unfortunately, even when following your dentist's recommendations, certain conditions that cause you to lose one or more teeth may arise. While common, living with an incomplete smile can wreak havoc on your physical and emotional health and wellness. Thankfully, implant dentistry offers an effective solution for restoring your smile.
Dental implants have a success rate of around 95 percent, meaning you can eat and chew using your implants without any issues. However, certain problems do arise from time to time. With this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about the possibility of a failed dental implant.
Is Your Implant Failing?
Once you have your implants, you should not feel any differently. The implants will look and feel like your natural teeth. You should not experience any discomfort or difficulty chewing, but you may notice the following issues if your implant is failing:
- Pain – If you feel pain around the implant or while biting down on your new artificial tooth, there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. The pain may occur if the implant has not been installed correctly or if the implant has not fused to your jaw bone properly.
- Loose – Obviously, if the implant wiggles or is loose after biting down on food, consult your dentist immediately. This issue most always stems from the implant not being able to fuse into your bone.
- Swelling – It is normal to have red, swollen gums after most dental procedures. However, if the gum tissue around your implant is still red and swollen after a few days, the implant may be failing.
Why Is your Implant Failing?
Improper fusion of the implant into the jaw bone is the most common cause of a failed implant. If osseointegration, or the fusion of the implant into the bone, does not take place quickly and effectively, the implant will become loose and require a second placement.
Failed osseointegration can occur due to a few reasons. Insufficient bone mass will prevent the implant from fusing into your jaw bone. Most dentists will conduct thorough x-rays before implant surgery to determine if you have strong bones with healthy bone mass. If not, your dentist may suggest a bone graft procedure to restore jawbone to a healthier state.
Without proper brushing and rinsing after your surgery, infections will develop in the incision site. Food and bacteria that build up in and around the incision site can lead to an infection that prevents your gum tissue and jawbone from healing.
If you are experiencing pain, it may be due to improper placement of your implant. If the implant is placed too close to the nerve, your body may reject the implant, resulting in pain and a complete failure.
Is Preventing Implant Failure Possible?
There are many ways to reduce the risk of an implant failure, but preventing a failure is difficult for some people.
Make sure to follow your dentist's recommendations before and after implant surgery. If a bone graft is suggested, make sure to follow through to ensure effective fusion of the implant to your jawbone.
Also, proper oral hygiene is essential after implant surgery. Make sure to brush, floss, and rinse as directed to keep your mouth clean and free from plaque and bacteria.
Although they are strong and permanent, avoid using your implants as tools. Do not use your teeth to open bottles and packages.
Lastly, continue visiting your dentist for routine checkups after you receive your implants. This will give your dentist the ability to examine your teeth, ensuring the implants have fused without any issues.
Implant dentistry is an innovative option in smile restoration, but problems may occur. Thankfully, this guide and your dentist will help you understand and prevent a failing implant. To discover more about dental implants, contact a dentist near you.