Three Rare Surgical Consequences For Dental Implants
Posted on: 16 September 2015
Bleeding, swelling, pain, and bruising are all common complications of dental implants. Most people, even those who don't have dental implants, know about these complications. However, there are other possible complications that you may not be aware of. Here are three examples:
Numbing and Tingling
One of the rare complications is a numbing or tingling sensation of the mouth and face, especially around the tongue, lip and jaw areas. This may happen if any of the nerves that supply sensations to these areas is affected during the dental implant process.
You may not be immediately aware in the change of sensations after the procedure is over. This is because the local anesthesia used during the surgery masks the effect of the damaged nerve. Fortunately, this nerve damage is rarely permanent, and you will regain feeling in these parts of the face after a few months.
Mouth-Sinus Connection
This happens when there isn't enough jaw bone for the implant. This may be the case if your tooth has been missing for a long time, and some of the bone has been reabsorbed. In that case, the implant process may open up a communication channel between your mouth and the sinus cavity. It may even develop a short while after the implant operation. Such a hole can be very annoying because it can lead to sinusitis (inflammation of the sinus lining) or channel fluids into your nasal cavity. Small holes may close up without any further ado while larger ones need to be professionally repaired.
Bony Flakes
Flakes, chips or fragments of bones or teeth may find their way onto the surface of the implant site. This happens because your body identifies these fragments as foreign bodies and expels them out of the wound. Fortunately, they don't pose much threat to your oral health, but they are irritating all the same. There isn't much you can do to prevent bony flakes coming out of your dental implant site. If you notice pieces of bone fragments in your mouth, consult your dentist to determine whether to remove them or leave your body to work its magic.
As your dentist will tell you, a good patient is an informed one. Knowing these potential complications means that you know what to do in case one or more develops. For example, you won't think that you are having a dental emergency when you notice a bony flake sticking out of your tooth extraction site.
For more information, talk to a professional company such as Quality Dental Care.
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