5 Common Questions About Dental Implants

Your smile is a major part of who you are, and not being able to share it can be devastating. Obtaining dental implants could be a solution, but you are bound to have some questions. 

Can dental implants make you sick?

Dental implants should not make you sick simply by being present in the body. There are rumors that implants are linked to oral cancer, which is just a rumor; studies have found no direct association with implants and oral cancer. You can get sick after getting implants, but illness tends to be related to basic infection, which is always a risk with any type of surgery. 

Is it possible for dental implants to move after placement?

Dental implants can shift and move after placement. However, this is not a common occurrence for a patient who has a healthy mouth and is not likely to occur until many years after an implant is placed. When an implant is inserted, it is anchored into the bone structures of the jaw, so the implant itself should not shift unless the supporting bone starts to deteriorate. Bone deterioration can be related to certain diseases like osteoporosis but can also happen due to changes related to aging.  

Do dental implants decay?

Since dental implants are made out of synthetic materials, they will not decay like regular teeth. The crown placed on the abutment will not decay, and the implant itself will not decay. Nevertheless, gum tissue can deteriorate and so can jawbones, which means problems with either can lead to the loss of the synthetic tooth.  

What are dental implants made out of?

Dental implants are made out of titanium in most cases. Titanium has long been used in surgical procedures to connect bones that have been destroyed or broken down due to illness. The actual crown that gets placed on the tooth can be made out of a few different materials, such as ceramic or resin. 

Do dental implants solve gum disease?

People who have periodontal (gum) disease are usually not good candidates for dental implant surgery because they have a higher risk of infection and a greater risk of soft tissues not healing around the placed abutments. Of course, decayed teeth can be related to gum disease, so getting rid of those teeth that are beyond repair and having them replaced with dental implants eventually can help thwart issues over the long term.