Are Dental Implants Safe?

If you are looking to boost your confidence with a beautiful smile, then a dental implant is a great option. They have exploded in popularity in recent years, though they have been around for decades. More and more people are discovering just how beneficial they are as a replacement for one or more missing teeth. 

Dental implants are a natural-looking alternative that functions just like a real tooth because it is implanted into the jaw bone. This leads many to ask whether or not they are a safe option. 

How Dental Implants Work

Dental implants are designed to work much like a natural tooth. An artificial root made of a titanium post is implanted into the jaw bone. Once this is fused together over a couple of months, it will become sturdy and strong enough to act as an anchor for holding the artificial tooth in place. 

After it fuses, an abutment post is inserted into the titanium anchor - and the dental crown is attached. It looks just like a natural tooth, blending in beautifully by color, size, and contour. Because it is fused to your jaw bone, it has strength and functionality that other tooth replacements do not. 

Are Dental Implants Safe?

Dental implants are very safe for the right candidates. In fact, if implanted by an experienced dentist, they have a very high success rate. 

There are a few key factors that play a role in this, however, including the general health of the patient, healthy gums, and a strong bone structure. A good candidate is going to be one that is in overall good health. That means someone who eats healthy, moves regularly, does not smoke, and is void of serious health issues. 

Patients need to have healthy gums. Things like periodontal disease can cause issues for the gums and bone structure - and both of these are necessary for dental implants. Patients who have been diagnosed with gum disease but have it treated may still be a candidate. 

Finally, bone structure is vital. The dental team will assess bone density before ever considering dental implants. The jaw must be able to securely hold the dental implant in place. If it is not sufficient, bone grafting may be an option to build up the bone’s density in order to move forward with dental implants. 

Once a dentist assesses the patient and determines that all of these things are in check and that the patient is a good candidate for dental implants, then the procedure should commence without issue. 

Potential Risks and Complications

When a highly-skilled, experienced surgeon handles your dental implants, you can feel confident that they will be a success. Though, as with everything in life, there is a slight possibility that a complication may occur. 

Peri-implantitis is a rare condition that is found with dental implants. This is a bacterial infection found near the implant and can result from not properly cleaning the implant region during or after the implantation surgery. With the right dentist and careful attention to aftercare, this risk can be avoided entirely. 

Another extremely rare complication that is risked with dental implants is implant rejection - sometimes referred to as foreign body rejection. Oftentimes, this is due to an immune system response or allergic reaction. Again, this is very rare. 

Interested in dental implants? Receive superior and skilled treatment at the Dental Implant Center of Rockville. 

To learn more, contact us at 301-294-8700. Or, request an appointment online.