Although judging from the title of this article it would seem like complications are frequent, you’ll be pleased to know that there are over 10,000 dental implants placed in the UK each and every year and only a small minority (around 5%) fail. Out of these, many implant problems are down to the patient’s failure to look after their implants properly. That said, whether you visit an experienced dentist dealing in dental implants in Richmond, or anywhere else in the country, then there’s always going to be the possibility of complications. It is after all a surgical process and as such implant success can and should never be guaranteed. With this in mind let’s take a look at some of the complications that might cause problems with a dental implant.
Surgical complications
Any type of surgery carries risk and when it comes to fitting dental implants these include
Infection
Bleeding
Nerve, sinus or nasal cavity injury
Although it’s normal to experience slight bleeding particularly the first few hours after surgery this nearly always clears up within 1-2 days as the gum area heals. However although pretty rare, some people may experience prolonged bleeding. If this is the case you should see your dentist immediately as this can lead to further problems and complications such as infection.
When dental implants are being fitted into the lower jaw then it’s a possibility that an inexperienced dentist may nick the nerve that runs through the jawbone when drilling down. This can cause a numb feeling to either the lower lip and chin and/or to the tip of the tongue. If this does happen then usually this isn’t permanent and most people regain full sensitivity within 2-6 months.
If dental implants are being fitted into the upper jaw, then there’s always a slight chance that the nasal or sinus cavity can be pierced. This in turn can lead to infection. In order to avoid, piercing nasal/sinus cavities and nerves, the majority of dental implant clinics carry state-of-the-art 3D X-ray equipment. This is used to determine the exact position and depth of these danger areas, so as to aid the dentist in the safe placement of the implant.
Post surgical complications
Patients should also be aware that even after successfully fitting a dental implant in Richmond, there might still be a chance of implant failure. This is why detailed oral examinations are carried out prior to the surgery itself. As already stated, although implant failure is often down to poor patient after-care, they can also fail because of a lack of bone integration. This is vital to the success of an implant and occurs over a period of time. The natural bone tissue that surrounds the titanium implant merges and fuses with it to create a strong and sturdy platform upon which a crown can then be placed. Occasionally though integration fails and is usually discovered at the second stage of the process when the dentist uncovers the implant only to find it loose. If this is the case, then it needs to be removed and another implant placed. In other cases smoking can cause integration failure as it decreases the blood flow to the healing bone and gums and in extremely rare cases. allergic reactions to the titanium implant itself can also cause implant failure.
As already stated the vast majority of implants are fitted with no problems whatsoever and many go on to last decades. However it’s important that people are aware of possible complications and should take this into account when weighing up their tooth replacement options.
If you want to find out more about dental implants in Richmond then contact our experienced team at Sheen Dental. Alternatively check out our website at www.sheendental.co.uk where you can find a multitude of helpful information.