Implant Failure from Surgical Inexperience
With any restorative dental treatment, you deserve the satisfaction of knowing your procedure is reliable and safe. And while dental implants are one of the most effective methods of tooth replacement, their success is reliant upon multiple factors. Patients can take certain steps before and after surgery to increase their chances of success, but an oral surgeons individual skill and experience also plays a pervasive role in a procedures outcome.
At the Southern Implant Dental Center in Memphis, our cosmetic dentists possess the skill and knowledge necessary to provide you with very the best surgical results. Consider the following ways in which an inexperienced dentist may risk implant failure, and remember that our practice will provide only the highest quality of dental care.
Failure During Osseointegration
After implants are installed, they require time to fuse with the jawbone. This process of bone fusion, called osseointegration, typically takes between three to six months to complete. An implants failure to integrate with bone tissue may be caused by a number of reasons, including poor surgical technique:
- Poor positioning: Precise positioning is of the utmost importance when installing implants. If an implants angle and location are off, it can result in poor fusion with the bone or other complications. In such instances, the implant will likely need to be taken out and reinstalled. Positioning is especially important when receiving more than one implant, or when implants are used to support restorations like bridges and dentures.
- Insufficient bone structure: Before receiving implants, patients must have an adequate amount of bone tissue in the jaw to support them. Between evaluating someones candidacy for implants and performing a bone graft if needed, the surgeon must ensure that implants can safely be installed and osseointegrated.
- Poor implant length: The correct length and width of a dental implant is crucial to a successful recovery. Implants that are too short, too long, or too thin are more likely to fail. Your dentist should make an educated decision about which implant to use, based on the shape of your mouth and density of your jawbone.
- Tissue damage: In order for implants to heal, the surrounding tissues must be healthy with minimal damage from surgery. The more experienced a dentist is, the more likely your gum and bone tissue will be relatively undamaged from surgery.
Infection During Recovery
All surgeries carry a slight risk of infection, although this risk can be made negligible with a highly competent surgeon and proper care during recovery. If surgery results in a dental implant that is poorly chosen, poorly positioned, or damaging adjacent tissue, the risk is increased. The infection of implants during recovery is called peri-implantitis, which typically results in implant failure and possible bone loss.
Similarly, certain risk factors such as tobacco use, diabetes, systemic disease, or gum disease should be discussed beforehand. If a dentist is unaware of a patients condition or too hasty to perform the surgery before such problems can be minimized, the chances of infection are raised significantly.
Nerve Damage
Although rare, it is possible for implant surgery to damage nerves that connect anywhere from the gums to the lips, tongue, cheek, or chin. This is almost exclusively caused by inexperienced surgeons who place implants too close to nerves. If a nerve is damaged, it may result in pain or numbness in any of the aforementioned areas, which can be permanent if not corrected. With the right dentist, you can rest assured that such mistakes can be avoided.
Prevent Implant Failure
By choosing an experienced dentist and implant surgeon, you dramatically increase your chances of having a successful, problem-free dental implant procedure. To see exactly how we can help you restore your smile, schedule a consultation with any one of our qualified dental professionals. Contact us today to set up an appointment.
