Dental implants are inserted in spaces where teeth are missing. Implants can help people chew and speak better, and implants also have a similar look to real teeth. Thus, people get implants for practical and cosmetic purposes. However, a poorly aligned implant can often lead to greater problems than the patient started with.

Misaligned Dental Implants

The Insertion Process

The process of inserting a dental implant requires several dental office visits. First, your specialist will make an incision in your gums. Then, the surgeon inserts a metal screw into your gums. This metal part bonds with your bone and creates a sturdy attachment for a false tooth.

You must wait two to  six weeks for your implant to bond with your bone. Afterward, a dentist will connect a false tooth called a crown onto the metal abutment. The crown looks like a real tooth, and the success rate of dental implants is high.

 

Alignment Problems

Dental professionals take impressions of your teeth and use specific measurements to custom fit your abutments and crowns. Placing an implant and crown involves using very precise measurements. If your dental implant is not aligned properly, then it will affect your aesthetics and bite. The term bite is used to describe how your upper and lower teeth come together.

When your bite is improperly aligned, you may notice your jaw clicking when you chew or speak. Some patients report tooth sensitivity from teeth rubbing against one another awkwardly while chewing.

Another negative effect is that improperly aligned teeth can become worn or damaged due to an unnatural bite. This can cause teeth to chip or become loose. Some patients even suffer headaches as a result of a misaligned bite.

 

Revision Implant Surgery

A highly trained prosthodontist can generally handle revision implant surgery. However, not every revision surgery is an easy one. If an abutment is loose or a crown chips or comes loose, the dentist may be able to readjust it or perhaps have another one custom fitted.

Some patients do not visit a dentist right away after losing an implant. Waiting before seeing a dentist could cause your teeth to shift in your mouth. When this happens, the patient must have their implant placed differently to fit with the patient’s bite. This may complicate things since it is generally easier to replace a screw so that it comes out of the original hole for which it was drilled.

Every patient’s situation is different. If you need a dental implant revision surgery contact a South Florida dental specialist or prosthodontist. A specialist can develop an individual treatment plan for you.