Question: What counts as a dental implant emergency?
Explanation: Most implant problems are urgent rather than emergencies. Genuine emergencies include a mobile implant fixture, spreading infection around an implant with facial swelling, severe pain following implant surgery, uncontrolled bleeding, and numbness of the lip or chin suggesting nerve involvement. A loose crown or abutment is urgent but not an emergency. Peri-implantitis, an inflammatory condition destroying supporting bone, progresses silently and requires prompt attention. Any implant that moves within the bone has failed and cannot be salvaged by tightening or cleaning.
Related Questions:
What does numbness after implant surgery mean?
In the lower jaw, it may indicate the inferior alveolar nerve has been compressed or injured by the implant. This requires immediate assessment, often within 24 to 48 hours, as early removal or repositioning of the implant improves the chance of sensory recovery. Do not wait to see if it settles.
Can a failing implant be saved?
If bone loss is caught early, peri-implantitis can sometimes be arrested with decontamination and, occasionally, regenerative surgery. Once the implant is mobile, osseointegration is lost entirely and it must be removed. Mobility is not recoverable, unlike with natural teeth.
Is bleeding around an implant normal?
Bleeding on gentle probing indicates inflammation of the surrounding tissue, called peri-implant mucositis. It is reversible with improved cleaning and professional debridement. It is not normal and it is the precursor to peri-implantitis. Treat it as an early warning, not an inevitability.
« Back to Glossary Index