Dental implants are made from titanium, a biocompatible material. It means it is non-toxic and readily accepted by the body. It has the ability to fuse with the surrounding bone, and if placed properly, can stay in place for more than 30 years. Allergy to titanium is very rare.
Most of these side effects are expected and temporary. They are seen in almost all patients who have undergone dental implant surgery. These side effects tend to go away with medication or on their own within a few days with medication and proper care.
However, some side effects are unexpected and do not occur in all patients. These are a sign that something is not right, probably due to the neglect of the clinician or the patient. Or sometimes it is just the hyper response of the body to a foreign object.
Expected side effects of dental implant procedures
As with every surgical procedure, certain side effects are expected, explained to the patient prior to the treatment, and medication and instructions are given to limit or minimize them.
1. Swelling
Any surgery in the mouth can cause swelling of the gums and surrounding areas. It is a natural phenomenon. The swelling should subside within 48 hours of the surgery. In case the swelling does not go away or increases after 72 hours, it can be an indication of an infection in that area.
2. Bruising
There might be some discoloration of the gums or skin at the surgery site. Not every patient gets it but some patients are more prone to bruising. Such bruises typically wear off on their own within a few days.
3. Pain
The procedure of placing implants is painless because it is carried out under local anesthesia. Once the effect of anesthesia wears off, mild to moderate pain is expected. Your dentist will prescribe you some pain killers to counter this pain. If the pain does not taper off within a few days, it can be a cause of concern.
4. Numbness and tingling sensation
Before planning an implant surgery, your dentist will advise you to get a CBCT to check if any nerve interferes with implant placement. However, some extremely small nerves may not show on the scan. If these nerves are nicked or damaged during the surgery, you may feel some numbness or tingling, especially on the lips. There might be similar effects if the implant is placed very close to a major nerve, especially in the lower jaw. This effect is transient and should normalize once these nerves heal.
5. Bleeding
A few drops of blood oozing for about 24 hours after the surgery are almost universal. Follow the dentist's advice to prevent excessive bleeding. If the bleeding continues for longer, consult your dentist immediately. Be sure to let your dentist know prior to the surgery, if you have any bleeding disorders, or if you are taking any blood thinners.
Uncommon side effects of dental implant placement
1. Infection
However, in some rare cases, if the proper sterilization protocol wasn’t followed, or if patients do not follow proper hygiene instructions, infection can occur around the implant surgery site. This manifests as continued pain after surgery and persistent swelling around the implant site.
2. Sinus problems
Sinus problems can occur in case of poorly planned implants to replace the upper back teeth of the mouth. If the bone is not sufficient for placing an implant, the implant can protrude into the sinus, or in case of poorly done sinus augmentation procedures like direct or indirect sinus lift, there can be persistent or recurrent sinusitis.
An oro-antral fistula (a communication channel between the nose and the mouth) can also develop leading to nasal regurgitation of fluids. It is important to follow the instructions of the dentist after sinus surgeries to avoid side effects.
3. Damage to adjacent teeth
In cases where a single or only a few teeth in a jaw are to be replaced, there are chances that due to operator error, a tooth adjacent to the site of operation may get damaged. This damage is almost always treatable but adds to the treatment time and number of visits.
4. Allergies or rejection
This is the rarest side effect that can happen after implant surgery. Titanium is an extremely inert material and used to make most devices meant to be placed into the body. In this extremely rare case scenario, there can be persistent swelling and pain. The implant screw becomes mobile over time and ultimately needs to be removed.
Conclusion
Side effects are unavoidable in any surgical procedure. There are known side effects that are expected to occur in most cases and the dentist makes sure to start the medication to minimize them.
These side effects shouldn’t deter you from going for implant surgery, as dental implants are one of the safest and most routinely carried out surgical procedures around the world.