After years of enjoying your dental implants, you notice a few weird things starting to happen with them. When you bite down, they don’t feel as secure as they used to. Or perhaps you’ve taken up smoking again and now your gums are pulling back. Could these be signs of dental implant failure? Here are the symptoms you should keep an eye out for and try to avoid so that you can keep your implants and your smile.
Your Gums Are Receding
The pink, soft tissue isn’t just nice to have to cover up your roots and implant posts, it helps to stabilize them. If you notice that your teeth look longer than usual, or if you catch a glimpse at the metallic post under the gumline, you could have an infection called peri-implantitis, which is similar to gum disease. If left untreated, it will cause your gums and jawbone to deteriorate, weakening the support given to your implants. That’s why it’s important to alert your dentist as soon as you see this kind of symptom.
You Experience Pain or Swelling Around the Site
In the few days after the implant placement surgery, it is perfectly normal to have swelling and some discomfort. However, with the exception of the immediate aftermath of this procedure and the restoration placement, your implants shouldn’t bother you.
Your replacement teeth do not have nerves, but that doesn’t mean you can’t feel anything at all. Your gum tissue can still communicate to your brain that something is wrong through discomfort. Pain or swelling around your dental implants shouldn’t be ignored and can be a huge red flag pointing toward implant failure.
Your Replacement Teeth Feel Loose
Once your implants have integrated fully with your jawbone, your replacement teeth should be firm and stable. As a result, if you feel a change in your implants’ security, contact your dentist right away. Continuing to bite or chew with loose implants could cause them to come out completely.
In some situations, a condition called bruxism, which entails clenching or grinding your teeth while you sleep, can make implants feel unstable. Fortunately, a simple oral appliance can reduce the impact of bruxism on your implants, possibly saving your restored teeth from failure.
You Don’t Take Proper Care of Your Implants
Sometimes a clear sign that implants could fail isn’t necessary a symptom but rather the behavior that could lead to failure. Even if you do everything right, there may be factors outside your control causing implant failure, such as cancer treatments or osteoporosis. However, implant failure is largely preventable in most cases.
When you receive dental implants, you are told how to maintain them. You must brush and floss your replacement teeth every day. In addition, you need to visit your dentist at least twice per year for regular checkups and cleanings. If you don’t do these things, your odds of implant failure increase drastically.
If you are careful and keep a close eye on your dental implants, your smile can last for decades, but you don’t have to do it alone. Your dentist can help you watch out for any signs of trouble with your implants!
About the Author
Dr. Vrajesh Shah has been practicing for more than 20 years. He completed a prosthodontics training program at New York University College of Dentistry after graduating from the same institution with his dental degree and has specialized in dental implants, particularly guided implant surgery. If you think your implants could be failing, don’t hesitate to contact Edison Prosthodontics and schedule an appointment with Dr. Shah by calling our office at 732-906-0077 or clicking here.