What Problems can be expected once Implants are placed?
- Implants may fail to join with the bone. The body doesn’t reject them.
- Failing implants don’t pain.
- Implants almost never get infected, but may have gum disease like symptoms and signs.
- They may lose bone.
- They can though rarely break, if enough support is not there or tangential forces are high.
- Screw loosening, its good idea to either have a screw less implants or have a double locking mechanism of implant –abutment lock, or one should have holes access to the screw for a 2 yearly tightening and preferably a 6 month checkup. Screw loosening rarely pains and the slightest of change in the biting and one must go for a checkup.
- Screw breakage- screw must be checked regularly as stated above, or with an x-ray film.
- If you feel your cap/over structure is lose- then either abutment or your implant is lose.
How early should I get an implant done after the extraction?
Ideally, yesterday. Basically, a doctor would strive to place the implant the same day as your extraction, and only if for some reason he can’t, will he postpone it for 8-10 weeks. For example, the doctor may find the size of your socket post the extraction larger than the implant or very highly infected. Small infections are not a modern day concern.
what is the minimum number of implants that I should opt for, if I have no tooth in the mouth?
Ideally, one tooth one implant is preferred by us to preserve your bone, but “all on 4 implants” is an accepted norm, although we like to falter for minimum 6 implants, as if one implant were to fail in “all on four”, it can jeopardize a costly over structure. Luckily with cheaper implants becoming available and successful, one can afford a larger number of implants.
Any Precautions post the implants?
Water Pick, it’s a pressured water jet which washes out any residual food between spaces of implants as implants are much narrower than the width of natural teeth in the back region of the mouth. This must be regularly used preferably post all the meals. A travel miniature appliance is also available.
Does the implants take the same load as the natural tooth?
An implant can take almost 8 to 10 times more compressive load than a natural tooth, but in the area of taking, tangential/sideways and rotational load it is poorer than the natural teeth and can fracture under such loads. A good balancing with T-scan and producing tight guide planes reduces these chances.