Peri-implantitis

One of the problems with hyping medical procedures out of control is the fact that people become reluctant to talk about the possible side effects that the treatment in question may have. Of course, all medical procedures have possible side effects, bar none. The only question is how often and how bad they are, and if there is anything to be done to prevent them. In the case of dental implants, the side effects are so rare and so incredibly manageable that mentioning them can just frighten the patient, but a patient has the right to know. So just know that dental implants have a 98% chance of success, higher than tonsil removals.

What Can Happen

Peri-implantitis is the dissolution of tissues around the dental implant. This means that the tissues around the dental implant start to decay and die, and this causes less tissue around the implant, which will eventually destabilize it and the implant needs to be removed. This usually occurs alongside an infection, and may cause bleeding, swelling and discharge as well. The tissue will also be damaged, which is a problem in and of itself.

Peri-implantitis is a result, a symptom and not an illness. The symptom can happen as a result of an infection, or as a result of failed osseointegration, or can also occur as a result of friction and movement of the dental implant.

What To Look For

Initial signs of peri-implantitis almost always begin with the initial stability not being correct. This means that the dental implant is loose, even at the moment of implantation. This looseness may not be felt, however, as the looseness may just start out as a few micrometers of space between the dental implant, and the tissue surrounding it. An infection is easy enough to spot, it will result in swelling and usually bleeding as well. If you see disintegration, or a thinning out of the tissues around your dental implant, get in contact with your dentist immediately, as the sooner the dental implant is taken out and the situation is fixed, the less damage will be done. If left to stay there until the dental implant falls out, you may be confronted with the fact that the region where the dental implant was will become non implantable. You should get in contact with your dentist as soon as you feel any movement whatsoever, no matter how slight, as this is a sign that the osseointegration process (the process by which the jawbone accepts and integrates the dental implant into it’s own tissue) has failed, and the dental implant needs to be removed.  

 

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