What are the medical risks associated with dental implants? In most cases, implants are placed by a dentist in Salem OR under local anesthesia. The medical risks are the same as those of dental surgery, in general. On a healthy patient, there is very little risk – about the same as an extraction.
What are the anatomical obstacles (areas not to be damaged)? Dentists break down these obstacles into sections (upper maxillary and the lower maxillary). The upper maxilla is a large cavity of bone filled with air: the maxillary sinus is located above the molars and premolars. The main risk from implantation is the risk of drilling too deep into the sinus cavity. In the majority of cases, scarring plays its role. There are no postoperative consequences either. When there is not enough bone, the sinus can be partially filled with substitute materials.
The main anatomical obstacle with the lower maxillary is that the lower dental nerve inside the mandible is what provides sensibility to the teeth. This anatomical element must not be damaged. The consequences can be very significant for the patient. Indeed, this nerve assures sensibility of the teeth, of a part of the oral cavity, and of the lower hemi-lip on the same side. Damaging it may cause temporary or permanent hypo-sensitivities of the lower lip and certain teeth. The risks are, therefore, greater in the lower jaw than they are in the upper jaw.
How long does it take to get a new tooth? The delay between the implant placement and the prosthesis is generally between 2 and 3 months. Under certain conditions and, in particular, an anterior tooth, implants can be placed and a temporary tooth placed in the same session.
Are there any failures? 100% success does not exist with anything however, it comes pretty close with implants – 98%. This statistic is valid worldwide. What is the lifetime of an implant? An osseointegrated implant can remain intact for life. Some implants placed more than 20 years ago show no signs of weakness today. One can imagine that these implants could have a lifespan far beyond a couple of decades. On the other hand, the prosthesis attached to the implant can deteriorate over the years. It will have to be changed at some point. browse our website for more details.
