Dental implant surgery

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Risks

By Mayo Clinic staff

Like any surgery, dental implant surgery poses some health risks. Problems are rare, though, and when they do occur they're usually minor and easily treated. Risks include:

  • Infection at the implant site
  • Injury or damage to surrounding structures, such as other teeth or blood vessels
  • Nerve damage, which can cause pain, numbness or tingling in your natural teeth, gums, lips or chin
  • Sinus problems, when dental implants placed in the upper jaw protrude into one of your sinus cavities
How you prepare Why it's done
References
  1. Answers to common questions about prosthodontics and smile restoration. American College of Prosthodontists. http://www.gotoapro.org/faqs/. Accessed Nov. 28, 2012.
  2. Dental implants. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. http://www.aaoms.org/dental_implants.php. Accessed Nov. 27, 2012.
  3. Dental implants. American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/dental-implants. Accessed Nov. 27, 2012.
  4. Rodriguez-Argueta OF, et al. Postoperative complications in smoking patients treated with implants: A retrospective study. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 2011;69:2152.
  5. Koh RU, et al. Immediate implant placement: Positives and negatives. Implant Dentistry. 2010;19:98.
  6. Single tooth dental implants. American Academy of Periodontology. http://www.perio.org/consumer/single-tooth-implant. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
  7. Dental implants. American Dental Association. http://www.ada.org/sections/professionalResources/pdfs/ADA_PatientSmart_Implants.pdf. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
  8. Esposito M, et al. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Different times for loading dental implants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003878.pub4/abstract. Accessed Dec. 5, 2012.
  9. Esposito M, et al. Interventions for replacing missing teeth: Horizontal and vertical bone augmentation techniques for dental implant treatment. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003607.pub4/abstract. Accessed Dec. 5, 2012.
  10. Carr AB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 4, 2012.
MY00084 Dec. 15, 2012

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