Taking Care Of Your Dental Implant When Issues Arise

Dental implants are a natural-looking and worry-free solution for millions of people with damaged or missing teeth. Implants offer an attractive alternative to the older and more cumbersome dental fixes of bridges and dentures and usually last wearers a long time. While problems with implants are rare, it might be comforting to know what to do when an issue arises. Read on to find out about some issues that can happen with dental implants and how to deal with them.

Don't Put Off Taking Action

Little issues can become big ones if you aren't careful. If your instincts are telling you that something is going on with your implant, phone the dentist right away. Take a look at a few common implant issues that should be called to the attention of your dentist:

Pain

It's not unusual for patients to feel some mild discomfort during the initial post-surgery period of a week to 10 days. Take any prescribed or recommended pain relievers during that time and phone your dentist if you feel pain after that first week. Later on, if you notice not just pain but any numbness, phone your dentist. In rare cases, pain or numbness is an indicator of possible nerve damage that may need to be addressed.

Sinus Discomfort

Your sinus cavity dips down low enough to be near your upper jawbone area. Let your dentist evaluate the pain that seems to be coming from your sinus area to make sure it's not dental nerve pain or something else. If the implant is impinging on your sinus area and causing discomfort, a minor adjustment to the implant post should alleviate the issue.

Improper Bonding

For traditional implants, the implant post must be inserted into the jawbone. This requires that the patient have strong and stable bone density in the jaw area. Your dentist will evaluate your jaw to make sure you have an appropriate level of density to sustain your implant. Some implant patients will have a bone graft performed to shore up the jawbone and ready it for the implant. In some cases, bone density can begin to deteriorate after the implant has been inserted. This is a natural occurrence that is mostly age-related and has nothing to do with the implant process. Unfortunately, loose implants can lead to gum disease and ever greater deterioration of the bones. In some cases, a shorter post may be used if a bone graft is not possible after the implant loosens.

Speak to your dentist about dental implants and other aspects of cosmetic dentistry today.


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