What does dental implant repair involve?
That depends on which portion of the implant that needs to be repaired. If the actual tooth (dental crown) is cracked or damaged, we can replace it without needing to address the actual implant (titanium post). If your tooth falls out, bring it with you. Otherwise, we can examine it and let you know if we can repair the crack or chip without actually removing the crown. At Tim Smith Dental, we view this as the best-case scenario since it is the fastest way to restore your implant and the least invasive. If the crown needs replacement, the dental lab will create a new one for us to carefully attach to the abutment on your implant.
If your actual implant fails, then that is a whole new process that can take up to four steps. If you face this scenario, we can discuss the various options that are available to you in further detail, and refer you to the oral surgeon for the repair.
What will the replacement process be like?
It is likely that you will need to undergo surgery so the oral surgeon can remove your implants, clean the area and graft the jawbone. Your recovery period may feel very similar to when the implant was first placed. There will be some swelling, discomfort and soreness. To combat this, you can use an ice pack for fifteen minutes at a time, take ibuprofen and eat cool soft foods for several days. If you also went through a bone graft, then you will need to be careful not to apply pressure to the area. In some cases, your food restrictions may last slightly longer than before. One thing to keep in mind is that if you do need a bone graft, it is likely to take six to nine months for the graft to be complete so that you can have a new implant placed. At that point, the process will be identical to when you had an implant placed for the first time.
If one implant becomes loose or fails will my others do the same?
Probably not. Dental implants have a success rate of 99 percent. It is incredibly rare for a dental implant to fail so if one does, your others should be fine. The only difference is that if you had an injury that caused an implant to fail, you should have all of your teeth examined.
Do you handle all types of dental implant restorations?
We can conduct an initial consultation identify what the problem is and how extensive it is. This will involve a physical examination along with X-rays. At that point, we will let you know if we can assist you or if you need to be referred to a Tyler specialist. At Tim Smith Dental our focus is on your complete oral health and ensuring that you have access to the procedures you need. To learn more, call our dental office at 903-592-5934.