After a traumatic mouth injury, you may choose to have dental implants placed where your teeth were permanently knocked out or damaged. You'll have the best chance at success with your implants if you remember these rules:
Don't rush the dentist.
When you have an accident or injury that destroys your teeth, it's perfectly normal to want those teeth restored as soon as possible, especially if one of your front teeth is missing. It's highly embarrassing for some people to be seen in public with damaged smiles. For this reason, you may want to rush your dentist into installing your implants before your mouth is ready to accept them. This can lead to additional problems down the road, and for that reason, you should listen to your dentist if they tell you to wait.
If the injury to your mouth was so severe that it damaged your teeth, it's likely that the soft tissue in your mouth and gums is also injured. This tissue may be swollen, have bone or teeth fragments embedded in it, or have small rips and tears you can't see. Each of these problems may cause additional risk of infection, poor fitting of your dental implant, and further damage to sensitive tissue in the jaw.
It may take several weeks after traumatic injury for your mouth to be ready for implants. During that time, follow your dentist's recommendations concerning mouth rinses, foods to avoid, and any medications that will help your body heal and prepare for your implants.
Educate yourself to be aware of potential problems.
A recent study in the UK showed that patients are just as competent as dental staff in identifying post-implant issues. They compared patients' reports on their own implant problems with dental staff reports on the same patients' problems and found that they often agreed.
It is believed that patients who know about possible issues with their implants are better able to spot them. This means that you, as an implant recipient, should learn all you can about any complications that may result. For example, if you have pain that lingers after the procedure, it may be due to tissue damage, infection, or a poorly-fitted implant, and your dentist should be informed.
Traumatic injury to the mouth will be different for each person. Your teeth and gums may respond to implants after trauma in strange ways. Ask your dentist what's considered normal healing for your specific mouth injury, and what warning signs to take seriously. When you know about the symptoms of infection, tissue swelling, and loose implants, you can report these issues to your dentist and they will make adjustments and repairs to help those implants last you many years.
For more information, contact Great Plains Oral Surgery And Implant Center or a similar location.
