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Dental implants are a very safe, reliable method of restoring your smile. With proper placement and post-implant oral care and hygiene, you can expect your implants to last 30+ years. Dental implants have a 10-year success rate of over 98%.
However, dental implants can occasionally fail. This is usually due to improper oral hygiene, which can result in infection of the implant site (this condition is known as “peri-implantitis”). At Lake Bluff Dental, we offer expert implant treatment and we do our best to keep patients informed about aftercare. If you’ve recently received a dental implant, here is everything you need to know about recognizing potential problems:
“Mobility” or shifting of the implant in the jaw bone should not happen with a properly placed implant. If this occurs in a relatively new implant, this means that the implant has not permanently bonded (osseointegrated) with the bone.
In older dental implants, this may indicate the presence of an infection, which has loosened the tooth and caused it to shift. Over time, the implant will likely become more and more loose, and may even fall out.
After 1-2 weeks, you shouldn’t feel any pain near your dental implants if they are healthy. Pain and discomfort likely indicates infection below the dental implant, which may be causing inflammation around the site. If your implant is causing you oral pain, call or come in right away to have the implant site assessed by an expert.
After your implant has healed, you should not feel any discomfort or sensitivity from putting pressure on your implant when smiling, biting or chewing. It should feel just like a normal tooth. Sensitivity when biting may mean that the implant is infected, or that it has not been properly bonded with your jaw and gum tissue.
If you develop peri-implantitis and the area around your implant becomes infected, you will likely see symptoms developing on the outside of your gums. This may include gum inflammation and swelling, recession, or discoloration. If you notice or more of these issues, call us or come in as soon as possible.
Your implant should not feel awkward or uncomfortable when chewing. If you’re finding that you are having problems chewing properly with your implant due to shifting of the implant, pain or pressure, this is a warning sign that it could be failing.
Whether you’re interested in a new dental implant, or you suspect that your current implant is failing and need to save it, Dr. Carolyn Griffin is here to help. As an expert prosthodontist, she can restore and repair dental implants in Shorewood. Ready to learn more and get started? Contact us now at (414) 962-1800, or stop by our office at 1720 E Lake Bluff Blvd, Shorewood, WI 53211 for more information.