Health Manipulation

A skilled dental surgeon will most likely perform a successful dental implant at a 99% rate. Factors affecting your body's response to the implant however, make it impossible to know if an implant will be successful, or not. Added to this, your body's natural healing process can affect whether an implant attaches firmly. If a dental implant does not attach firmly, or becomes loose, removal of the dental implant is necessary to repair the area.

If a dental implant becomes loose during the healing, contact your oral surgeon immediately. You can experience bone loss, bone damage, or both if you delay in having your loose implants treated. Once removed, the site of the implant will be cleaned, and then treated with a bone graft so it can heal properly. Once it heals, a new implant will be placed.

Why Do Dental Implants Become Loose?

Osseointegration, the process of bone tissue binding directly onto an implant is required for a dental implant to become successful. It can sometimes fail however, and this is the leading cause of loose implants. Without it, an implant cannot be firmly attached to the bone. In worse cases, implants become loose because of soft tissue forming in between bones and implants.

Osseointegration fails due to some contributing factors including bacterial contamination, bone grafting, infection, poor bone quality, and surgical trauma. Smoking also increases the risk of failed dental implants. Other times, there simply is no explanation why dental implants fail. This is taking into consideration the post-surgical healing process, and complications due to surgery.

How to Replace a Loose Dental Implant

While the only option to replace a loose dental implant is through an oral surgeon's help, there is only one recommended treatment that involves a four-step process.

1. The first step is to remove the loose implant. After extraction, the implant site must be cleaned, and all debris removed thoroughly.

2. The bone tissue from where the implant was removed has a tendency to recede like how it would naturally do if an original tooth was extracted. If it recedes, there will be no bone left enough to secure another implant. To prevent this, a bone graft will be done. It ensures that the new implant will have enough structure to attach itself onto.

3. It would take at least four months to have the implant checked again to see if the bone graft has properly grown. Within these months, healing is the goal, as well as, the proper bonding of the graft onto the bone where the new implant will be placed. If both are successful, you can be scheduled to have your new implant attached.

4. Still, if there is no adequate bone tissue after four months, another bone grafting procedure will be done. The right amount and quality of bone tissue is required for a successful implant to integrate itself.

A failed implant does not mean that you may experience more of it in the future. If your implants are starting to feel loose, seek the immediate care of your oral surgeon.

Also known as Anxiolyxis, minimal dental sedation is the term given to low-level sedation meant for patients suffering from low level dental anxiety, or regular dental check-ups.

Basically, the patient is given something to inhale, or in most cases, is given a light sedative pill to prep them for regular dental procedures. Unlike high levels of anaesthesia, the patient will still remain awake when given minimal dental sedation. They will be able to respond normally to the dentist and assistants, if any. However, it minimally affects one's cognition, but the patient would still be physically responsive, and one can expect that cardiovascular and respiratory function would not be affected at all. Reflexes would remain normal, as well.

Minimal dental sedation is done so that the patient would be able to relax while being checked by the dentist, which is especially helpful for people who are not that calm in the dental chair. This also means that sedatives are not always given to make the patient sleep, because some sedatives really are not strong enough to do that.

Nitrous Oxide is the chemical that is legally used to administer anxiolyxis. Benzodiazepadines are also legally used, and the effects last a number of hours. Anything apart from what was mentioned could be considered illegal, so do check with your dentist if they are using the right sedatives.

Take note that only small amounts should be used, and should only be in pill form, or as an inhalant in a mask that the patient would be asked to wear. The pills are given hours before the routine exam, or even the night before, if a minor operation is going to be done. Seeing that it could only be given this way, one could also come to the realization that the procedure would be quick and painless, which might lessen the anxiety that comes with thinking that a sedative will just readily put a patient to sleep. The patient may not even remember having gone though the procedure, given how light but effective the sedative is.

Minimal dental sedation is perfect for those who have a problem with getting numb in the dental office, dental anxiety, a severely strong gag reflex, sensitive teeth, and a problem with injections or needles. It can be given by any licensed and certified dentist.

Do keep in mind, though, that not everyone prefers this type of sedative, even if one is going through the some of the conditions previously mentioned. Also, the chemicals may not be for everyone, so it is important to talk to your dentist about your medical history, and check for allergies, if any.

Tooth loss is inevitable as a person grows older. It is a good thing that dentures were invented to remedy this issue during senescence. However, since dentures, or false teeth, are man-made devices, the human body is not used to them, and oral health issues may arise when they are used.

The short guide below lists the different problems experienced when using dentures, and the corresponding solutions to each issue:

1. Mouth Infections like Stomatitis and Cheilitis

Stomatitis is a yeast infection characterized by small reddish bumps on soft tissue inside the mouth, while cheilitis is the painful inflammation that occurs in the mouth. These infections commonly occur if you are wearing dentures that do not fit properly.

This problem is easily treated with medication prescribed by your dentist, along with correct denture care.

2. Dentures Move in your Mouth

Dentures are designed to mimic the appearance and function of natural teeth. However, if your dentures are ill-fitted, they tend to move around your mouth. Denture adhesives may not be enough to glue them to your gum line if that is the case.

The best solution to this problem is to go back to your dentist, and have your dentures refitted.

3. Difficulty Speaking and Eating

It will take some time to get used to wearing dentures. Having a set of false teeth attached to your gums will make you lisp, and unable to enunciate well. Eating with new dentures on can also be difficult since you are not used to the strength, and effect of having new teeth.

An easy solution to denture problems while eating is to do it slowly. Make sure to chew the food properly. Treat the experience like a child: start with eating soft food like jelly or eggs, proceed to food with medium consistency, and chew from both sides of the dentures. Also remember not to eat foods with sticky consistency as they tend to get stuck on the false teeth, and may cause the dentures to slip out of position.

If you experience speaking difficulties while wearing new dentures, the best solution is to practice saying words aloud in a slow manner. Over time, your mouth and palate will adjust to the dental appliance, and you can speak without any issues.

4. Gum Irritation

Aside from mouth infections, irritation in the gum line can also occur from wearing dentures. This can lead to redness and sores in the gums.

To prevent this, always make sure to clean your dentures using warm water or denture cleaner every day. Also, remember to clean your tongue well, massage your gums regularly, and never sleep with your dentures on unless specifically approved by your dentist.

The most common denture problems can be easily prevented by following basic oral hygiene practices. For other denture problems, make sure to contact your dentist since your dentures will most likely need to be refitted.