Making the decision to have dental implants can be a stressful one. One upon many concerns is the worry of what happens if something goes wrong during the procedure. Here at Lane Oral Surgery in Plymouth or Sandwich Massachusetts, we understand the chances of complications from dental implants, what those complications may be, and how to provide the best coverage both to avoid complications and to mitigate effects of complications.
Possible Dental Implant Complications
It’s worth noting approximately five percent of all people who have dental implants have complications. This is a very low number as compared to other implant procedures and continues to shrink as new technologies come out that help mitigate the possibility of complications.
Nonetheless, one possible complication is bleeding. This is not life-threatening and can be treated and healed without removing the implant in almost every case.
Another complication is infection. Due to the innovations of modern medicine, less than 1% of people who undergo surgery in the United States have infections caused by surgery and of those infections, the vast majority are minor and can be treated using simple antibiotics.
The most common complication caused by dental implants are nerve damage. Nerve damage is mostly caused when the nerve located in your lower jaw is nicked or damaged during surgery. An indicator of this would be numbness, tingling, or pain located in the gums, surrounding teeth, or lips. The vast majority of these are treated with time. In more severe cases, medications can be provided to help with pain and reduce chances of long-term damage.
Another related issue to nerve damage are sinus problems. Much like nerve damage, sinus issues are caused when the nerve located in your upper jaw is nicked or damaged during surgery. Sinus issues usually indicate a likelihood that the implant is going to fail as these are caused when there is not enough bone support for the implant.
The final complication is lack of stability. If there is not sufficient bone support, there is a likelihood that the implant will fail which can open the site where the implant was supposed to go for possible infection especially if the implant becomes fully dislodged.
Preventing Complications
On average, the most dental implant complications come from dentists who are not well equipped with the knowledge on how to handle dental implants. That is why we would recommend our oral surgeon, Dr. William F. Lane. He is especially trained in oral and maxillofacial surgery with decades of experience in allowing for a smooth, quick, and pain-free recovery. Dr. Lane has also worked with patients who have experienced complications caused by other practitioners and has been able to help those patients heal as well.
If you are considering a dental implant, get it done with an expert. Call (508) 273-2213 for our office in Plymouth, MA or (508) 591-8605 for our office in Sandwich, MA to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lane. We look forward to helping you get a dental implant or to heal the complications caused by a previous one!
