If you have suffered an injury involving the loss of teeth, a dental implant is the best way to get back that smile. They are designed to be permanent solutions that will last a lifetime, but what if they become loose?
This is not a common occurrence, but it does happen. There are several reasons why and if you are experiencing symptoms of loose dental implants. Make an appointment with your dental professional right away to ensure your dental implants are tightened again.
- Loose Crown: Sometimes, the crown’s seal can break or come unglued. This will require new bonding cement to be put on to reattach the crown.
- Loose Abutment: Your abutment attaches to the gum like a screw, and this is where the crown is cemented on. If it unthreads, it may start to have movement.
- Gum Disease: is an infection around the implant that can deteriorate the jawbone where the implant is being held, causing weakness and movement.
- Incomplete Healing: It’s possible that your natural healing process, where the surrounding bones grow over the implant, doesn’t fully occur.
- Overloading: Newly placed implants need time to adhere, and if other procedures are being done around the same time, healing is disturbed by pressure on the abutment.
- Teeth Grinding: Bruxism can negatively affect the proper healing of an implant because of the constant pressure placed on the implant.
Symptoms can occur soon after the implant is put in or in the longer term, so it’s important to recognize them. Here are the six symptoms of loose dental implants:
Symptom #1: Gum Recession
Gum recession is a common dental problem where the teeth’ gum wears away and exposes the roots. It occurs gradually as we age, but it could be a dental implant failure if you notice it happening more rapidly around an implant.
Your implant may have been installed incorrectly where the angulation is off. You will see more of the crown as it becomes exposed, and painful inflammation will occur. Also, there may not have been enough bone tissue to properly hold the implant.
Symptom #2: Inability To Bite Down Or Chew
A loose dental implant doesn’t stay rigid in its location, and you will notice it most when you are biting down on something. Your implants are designed to feel and function like real teeth, but chewing starts to feel “off,” and you notice a misalignment. As it gets worse, you could find it difficult to even eat a meal, and there may be considerable pain as pressure is put against the crown that radiates to the gums and jawbone.
Symptom #3: Shifting Implant
Your dental implant is supposed to be a permanent fixture that matches your teeth, and you shouldn’t even notice or feel it at all. If it isn’t seated correctly in your mouth, over time, it can loosen and feel wobbly when eating, talking or when you touch it. This problem will not get better and, if left unattended, can cause considerable damage to your gums and jawbone.
Symptom #4: Severe Pain
These symptoms may include pain, and if you’ve recently had oral surgery, you may think that the discomfort is a part of healing. This may be the case, but it is a major problem if you start feeling severe pain from the implant area.
Post-surgery pain usually lasts only a week or two, and you may have been prescribed medication to alleviate it. Pain beyond that means something is wrong, including:
- Infection
- Failed bonding
- Allergic metal rejection
- Misalignment
Pay attention to your pain and go see your dentist when it is persistent.
Symptom #5: Swelling
When your body undergoes trauma, infection or surgery, it starts to heal itself by sending cells to the affected area as part of the inflammatory phase. This buildup of tissues and fluid responds to the injections, incisions, and sutures during dental implant surgery.
Swelling will go down in less than a week, but you may have an infection if it persists or redness worsens. It’s important to get this checked out as soon as possible, as it could spread throughout your mouth and into your bloodstream. Make sure to watch for swelling as you pass through the healing stage.
Symptom #6: Allergic Reaction
Some people may be experiencing an allergic reaction without even knowing about it. Dental implants are made of a titanium alloy, and an allergic reaction may present as gum swelling, tingling and even loss of taste. If this comes on suddenly, soon after your implant has been put in, your body rejects it.
It is a big process to get a dental implant. Your dentist will make the procedure as painless as possible but ultimately, you want it to be done to get on with life. If you have loose dental implant symptoms, you will have to visit your dentist again to correct them. Delaying it will only worsen, so watch for the symptoms and act quickly to get your teeth back in great working order.