3 Common Dental Implant Problems

After dental implantation, you will need to observe some maintenance tips to help you heal and avoid complications. These measures include brushing your teeth daily, flossing between your teeth and gums regularly, scheduling regular visits to your dentist, avoiding grinding your teeth, and avoiding smoking. You should also avoid eating hard or sticky foods as they require aggressive chewing, which might upset the implant.

Moreover, you will increase your risks of implant failure if you don't take your medication as instructed by your health professional. Here are dental problems you might experience after an implantation treatment. 

Infection

You need to take proper care of your oral hygiene to prevent infections. If you don't brush or floss regularly, bacteria and plaque can accumulate on your teeth and gums, leading to an infection. The disease can spread to the neighboring teeth and the tissues around the implant. 

Other factors that put you at risk of infection include smoking. The habit triggers constriction of blood vessels in the gums, reducing blood flow. As a result, your gums won't receive adequate nutrients and oxygen. Also, the gums' ability to heal and fight off infections will be compromised. Hence, inflammation of your gums and bone tissue might ensue. 

This problem can trigger bone loss, destabilizing your mouth. Your dentist may prescribe an antibiotic or a soft tissue graft procedure. If the infection has spread to the bone, the infected part may have to be removed. You should call your dental expert if you have symptoms, such as bad breath, pus or bleeding around your implants, pain or fever, chewing difficulty, swollen gums, and loose implants.

Gum Recession

Poor oral hygiene or eating foods with excessive sugar and starch, such as cakes and sweets, can cause bacteria and plaque buildup around the implant, leading to gum recession. Other causes of the condition include periodontal disease, teeth grinding, and tooth loss. These anomalies cause your gum line to recede and pull away from the implant. 

The implants may weaken, causing discomfort that will interfere with your bite. Also, the underlying metal of the implant top may become exposed, resulting in cosmetic or functional problems.

Nerve Damage

Sometimes, the dental implant gets too close to a nerve and it can harm the nerve. This may also impact the surrounding tissue. You may experience numbness on the side of the implant placement, including the lower lip and chin. You may also feel a tingling sensation around the area. 

This condition requires immediate medical intervention. You should call your dentist immediately if you suspect you have this problem to avoid permanent damage to the nerve.

Contact your dentist to learn more about dental implants.