Whether you’re a perfectionist or rather laidback, getting dental implants should motivate you to keep them as long as possible. After all, you’re taking significant time, money, and effort to replace your missing teeth, so make them work and last! Sometimes, oral problems can be challenging to recognize on your own without advanced training, but if you are aware of the signs and not ignoring them, you can notice issues early on, giving you better chances of holding onto your dental implants for the rest of your life.
Short and Long-Term Dental Implant Failure
Unfortunately, dental implants can fail either soon after placement or years in the future. If the implant doesn’t integrate with the jawbone properly to begin with, you won’t have the chance to enjoy its benefits, and it will need to be removed. Once the post has integrated with the bone, gum disease or injury can cause failure even years later. The best method to deal with this possibility is to prevent it if you can and watch out for common signs of a failing implant.
Pain or Swelling
An insecure dental implant doesn’t feel quite right. In fact, it can move around and cause quite a bit of discomfort by pushing on oral nerves! In either the short or long term, pain and swelling indicate infection or other issues with your implant post. Other than the initial couple of days following the surgery, you shouldn’t have pain, so pay attention to how you feel, especially if your discomfort is accompanied by a fever or swollen face.
Gum Inflammation and Recession
Whether you have untreated gum disease before the placement procedure or later in life, this infection can manifest with clear signs. Inflammation and redness are among the first signs of gingivitis, the lowest form of gum disease. As the infection progresses, the gum tissue pulls away from teeth and recedes. When this happens, the deeper part of the implant may become visible.
Loose Bite or Loose Teeth
By the time you struggle to bite or chew or your teeth feel loose, it may already be too late to save your implants. At this point, the jawbone has deteriorated, and the implant is less supported than it needs to be to remain stable.
Are Failed Dental Implants Preventable?
Absolutely! In most cases, simple habits can keep your implants successful and strong. Brushing and flossing every day as well as going to your routine six-month checkups will help you and your dentist notice any early signs of implant failure as soon as possible, while it’s still easy to treat and control.
You don’t have to stress or become a neurotic perfectionist to keep your dental implants, but you do need to pay attention to your mouth and what it tries to tell you. If you see any of these signs or other unusual symptoms, talk to your dentist immediately. It could save your smile!
About the Practice
Williamsburg Dental dentists and staff strongly recommend visiting one of our team’s six Lincoln locations for checkups and cleanings regularly. Not only can you leave with a fresh smile, but we can identify small signs of trouble, sparing you the stress and cost of more extensive repairs later. If you have dental implants, we invite you to ensure their continuing success with us as well as at home on your own. If you need a checkup appointment, don’t hesitate to contact your preferred office online here.