Are Dental Implants Safe?

Dentistry, i.e. the branch of medicine dealing with the anatomy and diseases of the teeth, is one of the constantly evolving branches of science. This is a field where very often, new innovations are coming up, which try to make it easier and more aesthetic for the patient when it comes to matters related to their teeth and gums. Of the numerous innovations that we have seen in the past, one of the recent innovation that is being pitched as the best alternative for replacing missing teeth is dental implants.

Basically, these are permanent, fixed and non removable prosthesis that are placed in the patient's mouth. They consist of a screw which is drilled into the bone, so as to make sure that they stay in their place. The cost of these implants ranges somewhere between $1,250 to $3,000 per tooth, and the overall cost can increase to as much as $15,000 if bone regeneration and sinus elevation is required. Of the FAQs about this dental treatment, quite a few revolve around its safety - an issue which you need to take into consideration before opting for any treatment option.

Risks Associated with Dental Implants

No procedure that is done in any clinic is ever risk free. Being one of the most invasive dental treatments available, this procedure, along with its many upsides, has quite a few issues and risks that every possible patient needs to be made aware of. Given below are the details of these issues and risks that need to be taken into consideration when trying to gauge the safety of this treatment option.

Rejection
The foremost thing that you need to take into consideration - whenever you are getting an implant done, is that there is always a chance that the body will not accept it. Any foreign object that is placed in the body, comes with the uncertainty of it being accepted or rejected. These implants are made of titanium, which is supposed to be the most biocompatible element known, and that reduces the chances of rejection by a significant extent. (Titanium is also used in knee and hip replacements.) On the contrary, there is a higher chance of rejection and dental implant failure when the implant is not placed in an environment where sterilization has been given utmost importance.

Infection
When an incision is made in the body, it becomes a susceptible point for infection. This, in turn, implies that sterilization is a must during the implant procedure and not maintaining the same can increase the risk of an infection by many times. In rare cases, the infection can be severe enough to lead to an infection of the jawbone, which can spread easily. Yet another factor that can lead to a problem includes the possible rusting of the implant. Although titanium is water resistant to a great extent, if a person has a habit of drinking coffee or tea very often, then one may run into this risk.

Gap
When an implant is placed in the bone, the crown is not placed immediately but after a few weeks or months. Although it is not exactly a possible risk when it comes to safety, there is a gap in the oral cavity for a short span of time. In this time, the adjoining teeth can drift into the place where the crown will be placed later. Thus, this may not only lead to unnecessary crowding, but it may also lead to a problem when it is time for placement of the crown on the screw of the implant.

Nerve damage
If the implant is being placed in the lower jaw, then there is a chance of some damage being induced to the nerves present in the bone in course of drilling of the bone to place the screw. However, this is a very rare problem as usually the proximity of the nerves is gauged on an X-ray taken before initiating the procedure. If it is seen that the nerves are very close to the position where the screw will be placed, then the case is reviewed to find a way of bypassing this problem. Hence, the chances and risk of nerve damage or paresthesia is quite low.

Why to Still go for Dental Implants?

Ongoing through all the possible risks and problems that a person may face if he opts for dental implants, one may start reconsidering this treatment option. The fact however is that there are very few chances of these problems occurring if adequate amount of precautions are taken. If the highest levels of sterilization are maintained, then the chances of rejection or infection are very low. Also, an antibiotic cover is usually given when an implant is placed. When an adequate amount of precautions are taken, then the chances of complications arising during or after the placement of an implant, are reduced to a large extent.

All this said, it is safe to conclude that this is a treatment option that comes with very few risks, which many dentists and patients will say, are worth it at the end of the day. Dental implants have become the treatment of choice for many patients of late, as this is the best method to permanently deal with the problem of missing teeth. However, if you are still skeptical about the risks associated with dental implants, then you should ask your dentist about them in detail, along with the other treatment alternatives that are available for replacing missing teeth in your mouth.