The information in this article was supplied by the dental staff at Bond Street Dental Implants Toronto clinic as well as the staff at City Square Dental Implants Clinic in Mississauga, in order to ensure that non biased, high quality information is offered to our readers.
Dental implants, just like any other surgical procedure, can have complications associated with them, some minor but also some serious that may lead to complete failure. In most cases, dental implants are successful with approximately 95% of patients having no post surgical complications whatsoever. Some ways to minimize your chances of having complications with your dental implants include:
- Trusting an experienced periodontist
- Carefully planning and committing to the treatment schedule
- Thoroughly following aftercare instructions
- Stop smoking
It is important for anyone receiving dental implants to understand the complications that may arise so that they can notice a problem right away before it worsens. If you believe that you may be experiencing any of the complications below, contact your periodontist immediately.
Implant Failed to Osseointegrate with the Jawbone
The single most important process in the dental implant procedure is osseointegration; the fusing of your natural jawbone to the titanium implant. This process allows your implant to mimic a natural tooth root, giving the prosthetic crown a solid and stable base to rest on. It takes several months for this process to occur, during which time no stress should be placed on the implant location. Some factors that can prevent osseointegration from happening successfully include:
- Insufficient jawbone density
- Excessive pressure on the implant
- Incorrect positioning
- Surrounding tissues that are damaged
- Fractured or defected implant
If osseointegration fails, the implanted tooth will become loose or fall out completely. An implant is considered a failure due to failed osseointegration if it is mobile or if the surrounding jawbone diminishes more than 1 mm after the first year.
Infection to the Dental Implant Site
Also known as peri-implantitis, infections can cause many complications for a dental implant patient. Infections can occur during surgery if a bacteria is present near the implant site, or even after surgery if proper dental hygiene is not practiced by the patient. In some cases, infections can even be the result of dental cement used for attaching the crown to the implant leaking into the patients gums.
Patients who have peri-implantitis typically experience inflammation of the gums or bone near the implant, usually causing bone loss and eventually implant failure. This type of infection can take several months to several years to occur and should be reported to a dentist immediately before it worsens. In most cases the implant will need to be removed in order to get rid of the infection. Patients that are at the highest risk for this type of dental implant problem include:
- Smokers
- Patients with diabetes
- Patients with poor oral health and hygiene
Overloading of the Dental Implant
In most cases, dental implants are performed as a three stage process, with the first stage concentrating completely on the placement of the titanium screw and its osseointegration with the surrounding jawbone. Sometimes, however, the dental surgeon may decide that it is acceptable to complete the process in one stage, attaching the abutment and crown at the same time as the implant is surgically placed. This process can significantly reduce time spent in surgery and healing times, however, it can also put too much pressure on the surrounding jawbone before it has fully healed, causing the jawbone to reject the implant thus having failed osseointegration discussed above.
Damage to Nerves and Tissue
In rare cases, the dental surgeon performing the dental implant procedure may be inexperienced potentially causing damage to nearby tissue or nerves. Although this is one of the most rare causes of dental implant problems, it is a very real one and can cause severe pain or discomfort to the patient. Pain and discomfort is expected after surgery, however, if this pain lasts more than a few days a dental specialist should be notified right away. If they do find that nerve damage has occurred, the implant may need to be removed and a new one placed more carefully.
Other Rare Dental Implant Problems
Some other rare problems that can occur with dental implants include:
Rejection of Foreign Object
As with many other surgical implants, there is a slight possibility that your body may realize that the dental implant is a foreign object and reject it from fusing with your natural jawbone tissue. This is very rare since titanium is highly biocompatible.
Sinus Cavity Problems
For implants that are being placed in the upper row near the sinus cavity, there may be problems if the implant protrudes past the jawbone and into the sinus cavity which can cause sinus infections. This is usually preventable through the use of CT scans and conducting a sinus lift prior to surgery.
Failure of the Implant
Although this is very rare due to the reliability of modern titanium implants, damage can still occur to the implant itself causing it to fail. Implants can be bent or even crack under immense pressure such as a strong blow to the face near the implant location.
Allergic Reaction to Titanium
Some patients may have an allergic reaction to titanium which may cause complications in the form of itchiness or chronic fatigue syndrome. Although allergic reactions to titanium are rare they do occur and must be tested if you believe this is happening.