Archive for October, 2008

Could the adjacent teeth be damaged by a dental implant?

Friday, October 24th, 2008

Hello Doctor,
When doing an implant, second tooth, right up front, is there any chance to damage two adjacent teeth to the implant, the first and the eye tooth as people call it.

If yes, please tell me why and if not please tell me why.

Thank you,
Naomi in New York

Naomi,
Anytime a dentist puts powered instruments in your mouth there is always at least a possibility that teeth could be damaged. But there is nothing in the placing of a single implant that I would really call risky as far as possibly damaging the teeth next to the space where the tooth is missing. There is just no reason the dentist needs to touch those teeth.

In fact, this is one of the chief advantages of a dental implant when a single tooth is missing. For a bridge to be placed, the adjacent teeth have to be ground down for crowns. For a dental implant, you don’t have to touch those teeth. So if those teeth are healthy and without any significant dental work, I would strongly recommend a dental implant over a bridge.

Related links:
Click here to ask an implant dentistry question.
Click here for more information about dental implants.
Read more about the issue of a dental implant vs bridge.
Read about dental implant failure – the causes and how to avoid it.
Beware of cheap dental implants.

Posted in Implant vs. Bridge | Comments Off

A failed dental implant

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

I have a failed dental implant in my #7 tooth. It was placed right after the tooth was pulled and bone graft put in. My gum right now is purple and the x-ray shows the implant has only grown into the very top part of my jawbone.

I have to see an oral surgeon to have it removed and probably will need more bone graft to keep the socket from shrinking horribly.

I am so upset at this point and out $4500. I will need a bridge in that area and am so terrified it will look horrible and unnatural. I have crowns (healthy, beautiful) on # 8,9 #10 so color matching shouldn’t be a major problem…my gum line will be.

Can you help me? Thank you for anything you can advise.
- Sandy in Connecticut

Dear Sandy,
Rather than take the chance with another dental implant, I would tend to recommend that you replace the tooth with a fixed bridge. Especially since you already have crowns on your other incisors

It’s hard to say why the dental implant failed. It could be something it the procedure that wasn’t done right, but it could also be in your DNA. Some people have what is called a weak biotype, and they simply don’t respond well to dental implants.

A bone graft or even a soft tissue graft where you have the missing tooth will greatly help the appearance of the socket. But if you have a low lip line and the gum doesn’t show when you smile, that may not be necessary.

Related links:
Dental implants
Dental implant failure
Dental implant vs bridge

Posted in Dental Implant Failure | Comments Off

Fatigue and swelling after dental implant

Saturday, October 4th, 2008

I had an implant placed October 2005. Six months later I started with health problems to include extreme fatigue. I now have ringing in my left ear along with swelling of my salivary glands on the same side which is the side of the implant (lower left jaw). I contacted the doctor who did the procedure along with another doctor and both advised me that the implant was not compromised. I noticed that a CT scan should be done but I don’t remember this being done at the time of the procedure. Pleae advise if you can give me some assistance.
- Karen in Colorado

Karen,
It’s hard to tell what the problem is without a thorough examination. And yes, a CT scan should have been done.

There are several possible problems you could be experiencing, and it’s possible that your problems aren’t even related to your dental implants. But I’ll try to be helpful.

It’s possible you are having a reaction to the dental implant fixture. Some of the fixtures some dentists use are ADA and FDA approved, but some aren’t. Some are made as cheaply as possible, and have problems with toxicity and biocompatibility. So this is a possibility. This could cause the fatigue and swelling you’re experiencing. For more information, read our page about cheap dental implants.

It’s also possible with your symptoms that you are having TMJ problems. One tooth in the wrong position could be provoking muscle problems, headaches, fatigue, ringing in the ears, and other problems. It’s kind of like a pebble in a running shoe – it doesn’t take much of a discrepancy to cause serious problems.

I wish I could be more helpful, but you would need a thorough examination to pin down why you’re having these problems. And, as I said, it could be unrelated to the implants also.

Phoenix Implant Dentist Dr. Arthur Chal

Related link: Dental implant failure
Click here to ask an implant dentistry question

Posted in Adverse Reactions | Comments Off