The use of dental implants can now be considered completely standard in the dentist's toolkit.
Alongside effective anaesthesia, their implantation is painless, and patients need not worry about complications due to the exceptional hygiene and preparations.
Practice shows that minor or major complications can occur in only 1-3 percent of all implantations.
Therefore, the chance of developing inflammation after a dental implant (or peri-implantitis) is extremely small, but you should not ignore the possibility and should be prepared for it.
Early detection of inflammation, however, can be well managed alongside dental prosthetics, and can prevent more serious conditions such as implant loss.
At NaturaDent, all dental implantations are carried out with exceptional care and a Western-standard professional background, which will not only be noticeable in the quality of the end result but also significantly reduces the likelihood of complications.
Inflammation after dental implants
The preparation of a dental implant is considered a surgical procedure. Although thanks to modern medicine, the chance of complications has been reduced to a minimum, surgery can never be completely risk-free.
The reason for this is that the outcome of dental implant surgery depends at least as much on the dentist's expertise and preparation as it does on the patient's condition and how well they follow instructions.
Most of the inflammations after a dental implant actually stem from patients not paying enough attention to protecting the implant and the restoration on it, and to proper hygiene.
This is particularly problematic because the development and prolonged existence of peri-implantitis (inflammation after dental implants) can damage the bone supporting the implant, which can ultimately lead to the loss of the implanted prosthesis.
Inflammation most commonly occurs after the placement of a dental prosthesis.
It should be known that post-implant inflammation can generally occur months after the procedure.
There can be a number of factors behind this, but in modern dentistry it is already very rare for an inadequate implant or improper placement to be the cause, as thorough examinations precede the procedure in every case.
This is why it's not possible for a dental restoration to be placed in bone that's too thin, as this can be assessed in advance nowadays, allowing for procedures to be carried out that help to supplement the bone.
Dentists typically aim to ensure that dentures are not only fitted correctly but are also easy to clean to maintain proper oral hygiene.
What can cause inflammation after a dental implant?
Patient with inflammation after dental implant came to Naturadent
As mentioned above, there can be a number of factors behind inflammation following a dental implant, but most often it arises from the patient not having done everything they could to maintain the condition of the prosthesis.
The most common cause, for example, is premature excessive loading, as dental implants cannot be loaded immediately and to the same extent as natural teeth. The patient must pay great attention to this, especially during the initial bone healing period.
Another common cause of inflammation is neglected oral hygiene, improper cleaning of the implant, which causes plaque to build up around the newly placed implant, and the proliferation of bacteria then generates an infection.
It is rare for inflammation of a dental prosthesis to be caused by inadequate preparation or improper preparation of the implant site. The latter is very rare nowadays thanks to modern dental technologies!
A fogimplantátum utáni gyulladás (peri-implantitis) tünetei a következők lehetnek: * **Íny duzzanat és vörösség:** A fogíny a beültetett implantátum körül piros, duzzadt és érzékeny lehet. * **Vérzés:** Az íny könnyen vérezhet fogmosás vagy fogselymezés során. * **Fájdalom:** Lehet enyhe vagy súlyos fájdalom az implantátum körül. * **Szagos lehelet vagy kellemetlen íz:** Gyakran érezhető kellemetlen szag vagy íz a szájban. * **Purulens váladék:** Gennyes váladék távozhat az implantátum és az íny közötti résből. * **Implantátum kilazulása:** Súlyosabb esetben az implantátum meglazulhat, ami a kilazulás érzetét keltheti. * **Csontvesztés:** Röntgenfelvételeken láthatóvá válhat a fogimplantátumot körülvevő csontállomány elvesztése. Fontos megjegyezni, hogy a peri-implantitis korai stádiumában nem mindig nyilvánvalóak a tünetek, így rendszeres fogászati ellenőrzésekre van szükség a probléma időben történő felismeréséhez és kezeléséhez. Ha a fenti tünetek bármelyikét tapasztalja, azonnal forduljon fogorvosához.
As with all inflammations in the oral cavity, changes associated with a dental implant also have noticeable and clearly visible symptoms.
One of the most common symptoms is that the soft tissues around the implanted tooth become red, swollen, and tender. This tenderness can be experienced not only upon touch, for example, when using a toothbrush, but also when consuming cold or hot food and drinks.
It is common for inflamed gums to bleed from the outset, and for periodontal pockets to noticeably enlarge and deepen, with pus appearing in them, which results in bad breath.
Inflammation can cause pain around the implanted abutment, and if not addressed by a dentist in a timely manner and treated, the prosthesis may loosen over time, and in extreme cases, could even dislodge from its position.
Some pain is normal after a dental prosthesis, but inflammation is not
The insertion of a dental implant is completely painless today, but after the anaesthetic injections wear off, it is entirely normal for the patient to complain of minor pain or discomfort.
As stated above, implantation is essentially a surgical procedure. Although the patient can return home after the insertion, this does not mean that there will be no pain, particularly a dull pressure on the jaw and the area around the dental prosthesis may be sensitive in this regard.
How this is experienced and by whom largely depends on the patient's pain tolerance, but this discomfort can easily be alleviated with over-the-counter painkillers. Furthermore, the pain following dental implantation disappears completely after a few days.
If the pain persists, or if symptoms suggesting inflammation appear after 2-3 days, it always requires a dental consultation.
At Naturadent, we treat gingivitis with laser therapy, which is always performed by qualified and experienced specialists. This allows associated symptoms to be alleviated within minutes and complications, such as potential implant displacement, to be avoided.
Our laser treatments not only help to eliminate problems faster but also much more effectively, while deep cleaning efficiently removes not only disease-causing bacteria but also dead and still inflamed tissues.
The post-dental implant check-up is important
If we want to prevent inflammation after a dental implant, so-called follow-up, regular check-ups are essential.
In normal circumstances, a patient's pain and other related discomforts will completely disappear in the days following the dental prosthesis, but this by no means means that the implant does not need to be checked.
A thorough dental check-up will be essential one or two months after the implantation, because if any negative process has begun – be it tartar formation or inflammation – it can be curbed in time.
It is not uncommon for a dental hygiene consultation to be required at such times regarding proper oral care and its importance, for which qualified dental hygienists provide personalised tips and advice if they believe the individual is unable to maintain adequate oral hygiene with traditional methods.
Even if the dentist finds no problems during the initial check-up, the dental implant should still be examined by a professional once every six months or once a year as part of general dental routine check-ups.
Helpful advice for the period after dental implantation
Although the dental specialist provides patients with a wealth of useful advice after dental restoration, it is worth preserving or recalling this advice in writing as a memento.
Immediately after implantation, for example, the patient is typically given antibiotics and Cataflam painkiller, as pain may occur after the anaesthetic wears off. The procedure is no more painful than a tooth extraction, but if the dentist does not provide a prescription or painkillers and you experience discomfort, you should have a diclofenac-containing preparation at home.
Diclofenac is important because painkillers containing this ingredient (e.g. Cataflam-V 50mg) can be much better absorbed by the periosteum, meaning they reduce discomfort more effectively. However, most of them are only available on prescription, so ask for medication or a prescription as needed.
After the intervention, minor swelling, along with pain, is a normal occurrence, and this is usually already part of the healing process.
It is important not to eat solid food immediately after a fresh dental implant, and even then, only still water should be consumed. We must pay attention to our diet for several days to ensure proper healing, but it is also essential to minimise stress.
Therefore, it is not recommended to chew on a fresh dental implant for several days, and even afterwards, only gently, so that the integration can occur completely and plaque does not directly affect the restoration.
Interestingly, rinsing with plain water or mouthwash after dental implant surgery is not recommended, as it can easily wash away the blood clot that aids healing. Mouthwashes that promote healing, such as Curasept ADS 220, should only be used when recommended by your treating dentist, and used with very gentle rinsing at the specified intervals.
These should be handled with care, gently rinsing the teeth with them, which can reduce plaque formation until normal oral hygiene practices can be carried out thoroughly again. The area around the procedure can be gently brushed with a soft-bristled toothbrush with a high bristle density.
What can we do to avoid inflammation?
Our article's main topic is inflammation after dental implants, so by way of conclusion, we would like to offer some useful advice on how to most easily avoid the development of the problem. Let's look at some important warnings:
If possible, please completely avoid smoking until the implants have fully healed, as well as the consumption of coffee, alcohol, and caustic carbonated beverages.
We should pay attention to a varied diet and vitamin supplementation, as inflammations can develop more easily within the body due to a lack of adequate trace elements.
Regarding meals, it is important that, within our capabilities, we do not consume dairy products for a few days following the implantation, as these contain bacteria that can slow down healing, thereby promoting the development of inflammation.
Avoid consuming popcorn and small seeds (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, ground seeds) to prevent them from becoming lodged in the surgical site.
It is also important to pay attention to adequate fluid intake, as fluid, preferably pure water, is essential for the functioning of the body's circulation and self-healing processes.
Finally, but by no means least importantly, maintaining proper oral hygiene cannot be stressed enough, which, in addition to the ideal toothpaste, toothbrush, and brushing technique, absolutely requires the use of accessories such as dental floss or interdental brushes.
