Dental Implant Infection: How to Treat Infected Implant
Dental implants function just like natural teeth and they can become infected just like natural teeth. Infected dental implants become diseased or fail if they are neglected or do not receive regular care from a dental professional.
An infection around a dental implant is a form of gum disease known as peri-implantitis. The infection can be the result of smoking tobacco, a failed oral hygiene routine, diabetes, a compromised immune system, bite misalignment, parafunctional habits (bruxism), or an allergic reaction to the implant itself. If left untreated, the progressive bone loss and infection can cause the implant to fail.
Features of an infected dental implant are similar to those of gum disease and can include one or more of the following symptoms:
- Loose or wobbly implant
- Red or puffy gums around the implant
- Icky taste
- Bad breath
- Throbbing pain or discomfort from the area
- Dull ache on palpation
- Exudate (pus) visible from the area
- Threads are visible on the implant
- Difficulty chewing
- Fever
- Bleeding when brushing around the implant
Treating Any Signs of Dental Implant Infection
If an infection is diagnosed, then one of the most important aspects of the treatment will be to clean the surface of the infected dental implant. This may be tricky depending on the type of implant that has been used as implants with rough surfaces cannot be thoroughly cleaned mechanically.
The next step will be to disinfect the area. For a moderate infection, Dr. Rajesh Bansal may recommend the use of antibiotics. This is where the loss of bone around the dental implant will be between 2 mm and 4 mm.
For more advanced implant infections where the bone loss is more severe, surgical intervention may be required, combined with mechanically cleaning the implant, disinfection and the use of antibiotics.
Can an Infected Dental Implant Be Saved?
The earlier an infection is treated, the better the chances of success. If a dental implant has already become loose due to a severe infection and subsequent bone loss, it may not be possible to save it. In this case the infected dental implant might need to be removed and the area left to heal. It might be possible to place another dental implant at a later stage, once it’s clear all the infection has been removed.
If you do have dental implants, it’s so important to make sure you keep up with a regime of regular dental checkups every six months. This allows your dentist to check your dental implants for any signs of early inflammation and infection so that prompt action can be taken if anything is found.
Prevention and Treatment of Dental Implant Infections
To prevent infections and other complications, it’s important to choose a reputable implant dentist or prosthodontist (a specialist in the replacement of missing teeth) to perform your implant surgery. With their extensive training and high-quality materials and techniques, your chances of infection will be lower.
- With that said, any surgery, no matter how minor, always carries at least some risk of infection. Here are some ways to reduce that risk in both the short-term and long-term.
- After your implant surgery, closely follow any post-operative instructions from your implant dentist.
- It’s important to keep the area clean with regular brushing, but do so gently and carefully.
- For the first couple of weeks, focus on eating soft foods such as soups, smoothies, oatmeal, bananas, cottage cheese, yogurt, applesauce, mashed potatoes, etc. Avoid hard, crunchy foods during this period.
- Don’t smoke. The success rate in smokers is only 85%, compared to over 95% in non-smokers.
- To prevent problems over the long-term, make sure to get regular checkups and cleanings and keep up with good oral hygiene habits at home. The cleaner the area around your implant is, the healthier it will be.
Benefits of Dental Implants by Shanti Dentals in Rohini, Delhi
- Maintain the anatomy of jaw bone so your face retains its natural shape.
- Eliminate the need to grind down the healthy adjacent teeth.
- This eliminates the key problems of a denture, including poor fit gum irritation and pain from exposed nerves.
- The result is superior comfort, reliability, and freedom from embarrassments.
- Restore a more secure biting ability then removable denture.
- Looks feel and perform similar to your natural teeth. Hence, oral care is the same as a natural tooth and restore self –confidence, and appearance.
