What Are the Risks of Dental Implants?
Implantology is very popular with people who have lost one or more teeth. This technique involves placing dental implants consisting of a small titanium cylinder on the patient’s jaw, replacing the root of a torn tooth.Indeed, these implants will support the patient’s dental prosthesis without wearing dentures.
However, dental implants can cause several risks and complications, which should be really considered and studied in great detail.
Procedure of a dental implantology operation
Dental implant placement requires local anesthesia, as with any other type of surgery. With the latter, the dental surgeon can make an incision in the patient’s gums and take off a flap to drill a hole without the patient suffering during the procedure. After that, he will fold down the flap of gum before suturing it.
However, due to the scarring, the patient may experience pain the week following the operation.
For six months (nursery period), the implants will be left in the bone to integrate optimally. After this period, the dental surgeon will prepare each implant head to support the prosthesis.
The major risks of dental implants
The placement of dental implants can have specific health risks. Although these problems are uncommon, it is always helpful to know about them. Most complications can be avoided if you follow your dental surgeon’s instructions.
Moreover, to minimize these risks, it is strongly advised to choose a dental clinic renowned and specialized in the fitting and/or manufacturing dental prostheses, following strict quality rules.
The intervention of a dental surgeon specialized in the field will undoubtedly facilitate the recovery period for the patient.
Below is the list of possible risks:
-Failure of integration of the dental implant: this can lead to the loss of integration of this one in the bone of the jaw. The implant may then not be stable. However, a prophylactic antibiotic is usually prescribed to the patient before the implant procedure to reduce the risk of this failure.
-Perforation or injury to surrounding anatomical structures: maxillary sinus, lower border of the lingual plate or the labial plate, lower alveolar canal, gingiva.
-Infection: presence of abscess, fistula, suppuration, or inflammation.
-Excessive bone loss: in the area of the dental implant, which may reduce the implant reassembly’s stability, causing black triangles to appear between the teeth.
-Breakage or fracture of the abutment screw of the implant: which can lead to a serious complication that is difficult to fix.
Other possible complications and risks
-Apart from what is mentioned above, other complications and risks related to dental implants may also exist, including:
-Nerve damage: which can lead to pain, numbness, or paresthesia in the surrounding tissues.
-Tissue necrosis: for 1 in 20 cases.gum recession
Dehiscence due to healing failure that may require bone grafting
Blood loss
Hyperplasia
Contraindications
In the following cases, the use of dental implants is contraindicated:
Untreated cavities
Active periodontal disease
Uncontrolled diabetes
Reduced jaw strength and thickness, at the risk of not being able to support the implant
Indeed, people in the conditions above present a significant risk of post-operative infection, which can cause the failure to install the dental implant. In addition, smokers must also quit before deciding to have implants implanted in their jawbone. This, is for the surgery to be a real success.