What to Do if You Have Dental Implant Problems Years Later

Dental implant problems can be alarming, but there are effective ways to remedy them.

Dental implants are strong, sturdy and built to last, and many people never encounter a problem with them. These essential metal structures that are attached to the jaw and support artificial teeth have a high success rate, but on occasion, when you have orthodontic treatment in Ireland or elsewhere, they can fail.

A number of factors can affect the success rate of dental implants, however, and they include gum disease and other conditions. Gums must be healthy in order for a dental implant to be attached, and if the gum is infected, it can damage the jaw bone and this can cause a dental implant to fail. Clearly, no dentist should place dental implants if there’s any sign of gum disease, and if you are suffering from it, you’ll need to get proper treatment and give the gums and jaw time to heal before going ahead with implants.

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People who smoke have a much higher risk of dental implant problems years late. This is because smoking results in poor circulation, where not enough blood can get to the gum area. After the surgeon places the dental implant in someone who smokes, the healing period is often much longer compared to someone who doesn’t. You can still have a dental implant if you’re a smoker, but it’s advised that you stop at least a week beforehand and don’t smoke for two months afterwards, because research shows that smokers can have a dental implant failure rate as high as 20%.

Various medical conditions, disorders and diseases can also impact the success rate of dental implants. They include diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune diseases like lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. People suffering from these and other conditions heal at slower rates and this can prevent dental implants from properly fusing to the jaw bone and, ultimately, failing. Medications can also affect the success of dental implants — even something as seemingly innocuous as pills for heartburn — and so it’s important if you’re taking something that you tell your dentist first.

Signs of Dental Implant Problems

You may think the dental implants you had done years ago are fine, only for one or more of them to then develop problems. When failure strikes, you might experience inflammation of the gums and gum recession, as well as swelling in the area and severe pain, or at least a degree of discomfort. You may have difficulty chewing and feel that the tooth on top of the implant has become loose.

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s vital that you contact your dentist immediately. Allowing it to persist and ignoring the problem will increase your risk of developing complications such as tissue or nerve damage, damage to the surrounding areas, rejection of the implant by the body and the chance of the dental implant protruding into the dental cavity.

If any of these complications develop, it’s important to seek orthodontic treatment. Having dental implant problems years later is a pain, but with proper care and attention, you’ll soon be back to great dental health.

For problems with dental implant problems years later, contact The James Clinic and we will examine your condition and offer solutions. If it’s an emergency situation, you can contact our out-of-hours dentist and get immediate help.

Photo by Peter Kasprzyk