Dental implants are an effective treatment for patients who have lost or significantly damaged one or more teeth. While there are a myriad of benefits to this procedure, there are also some risks.
Before undergoing dental implant surgery, it is crucial to learn about many aspects of tooth implants, such as how they work, how they can prevent bone loss, and dental implants risks and benefits.
What are Dental Implants?
The dental implant itself is a slim metal post that looks similar to a screw. The implant is embedded into the patient’s jawbone and, over time, the bone fuses to the metal in a process called osseointegration. The implant’s screw-like threads aid this process.
The dental implant behaves similarly to a natural root, providing a sturdy base for the artificial tooth. A structure called an abutment is fitted to the implant and connects it to the tooth restoration. Implants can support crowns, bridges, and removable or permanent dentures.
Dental Implants: Risks and Benefits
The Benefits of Dental Implants
Dental implants are one of the most popular tooth replacement procedures because of their many benefits.
Dental implants can prevent bone loss: When you lose a tooth, the alveolar bone that supports your teeth weakens and deteriorates. The alveolar bone is supported by the root of your tooth and strengthened by the pressure exerted on it through chewing.
When a tooth is lost, this bone recedes, weakening the jawbone. Dental implants prevent this from occurring because, just like a tooth’s root, they stimulate bone growth. In fact, through osseointegration, implants can even reverse some bone loss.
Implants can reduce the risk of gum disease: Patients with advanced gum disease may be unsuitable for implants, due to the soft tissue’s degradation. However, implants can help discourage gum disease from forming.
When there are spaces between the teeth pockets can form, into which plaque and food can gather, causing more damage to the gum and bone. Unfortunately, cleaning out this pocket is very difficult. If this continues, other teeth become loose, and you risk losing them. Replacing a tooth with a dental implant can help prevent this situation.
Tooth look, feel, and function like natural teeth: While some tooth replacement options sometimes feel uncomfortable and can affect the way you speak and eat, dental implants feel and function just like natural teeth. Your tooth implant will be made specifically for you for maximum comfort and to ensure it blends in seamlessly with your existing teeth, taking size, shape, and colour into consideration.
Dental implants are durable: While some other treatments used to replace missing or damaged teeth need to be replaced every five to ten years, if dental implants are properly taken care of, they can last a lifetime.
Tooth implants are cost effective: Although it’s true that dental implants are not the cheapest way to replace a missing tooth, their durability makes them cost effective in the long run.
Easy maintenance: Dental implants don’t require any special maintenance to keep them clean; all you need to do is brush them in the same way you would brush your natural teeth. Consult your dentist about flossing, as it is often recommended not to floss around an implant to avoid causing damage along the gumline. However, you must continue to floss your other teeth to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
The Risks of Dental Implants
Dental implants have a high success rate and offer patients a solution for a missing or damaged tooth many benefits. However, like any surgical procedure, there are some risks involved with dental implant surgery.
Failure to integrate: The success of a dental implant relies on complete osseointegration, when the bone fully fuses with the implant, creating a sturdy base for the crown, bridge, or denture. Certain factors make osseointegration difficult, such as if a patient has an existing condition that affects bone healing or advanced gum disease. Before you commit to dental implants, your dentist will conduct a thorough examination of your teeth and discuss whether you are a suitable candidate for implants.
Sinus perforation: When placing an implant into the upper jaw it can protrude into the sinus cavity. This can cause infection and future sinus problems. Before going ahead with the dental implant surgery, your No Gaps Dental dentist assesses your mouth and facial structure using X-rays and digital images to anticipate this kind of problem. If necessary, a procedure such as a sinus lift may be recommended before an implant is fitted.
Dental implant rejection: Dental implants are typically made with titanium, an incredibly biocompatible material which means that it is rare for the body to reject the implant. However, this does, on rare occasions, happen. Symptoms of foreign body rejection include pain at the implant site, fever, swelling, and chills.
Nerve or tissue damage: Although uncommon, if the implant is placed too close to a nerve, the patient may experience tingling or numbness in the gums, lips, tongue, or face.
Choosing the Right Dental Practice
If you opt for dental implants, the risks and benefits are explained by your dentist.
When it comes to choosing your dentist, you should select a dental practice that follows the highest hygiene standards, such as wearing the correct PPE, using hand sanitiser, and sterilising equipment, and has experience in performing dental implant surgery.
They should give you a thorough examination before going ahead with the treatment, and make you feel comfortable and informed.
Patient Safety Matters
At No Gaps Dental, we guarantee a high standard of care and work hard to ensure our patients are at ease. We value our staff and patients’ safety above all, which is why we maintain an extremely hygienic practice, both in and out of the surgery.
To ensure your safety, we have introduced safety measures including frequent use of hand sanitiser, regular cleaning of shared spaces, a limit to the number of people in the practice at one time, and mandatory temperature checks.
At No Gaps Dental, we believe that everyone has the right to high-quality dental care, which is why we offer affordable payment plans through MacCredit. From dental implant surgery to root canals or wisdom tooth extraction, our experienced dentists are here to help you achieve a beautiful, healthy smile.
Call us today on (02) 8007 6727 to book your initial consultation, speak with our dentists about dental implants risks and benefits, and determine whether you are a candidate for this revolutionary procedure.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks.