Can Dental Implants Cause Nerve Damage?

13 Dec Can Dental Implants Cause Nerve Damage?

According to a study published in the British Dental Journal, there are potential risks to consider with dental implants, which dentists should inform their patients. However, with proper maintenance and care, implantation should be successful and without any problems accompanying it.

Studies on Dental Implants and Nerve Damage

In a study conducted by researchers from the London Dental Institute in King’s College, it was observed that about 1 percent of all dental implantation procedures eventually led to nerve injuries and damage. The research involved 30 patients who were suffering from nerve injuries that caused discomfort when eating, kissing and speaking. This issue was the common concern with improper care prior to and after surgery.

Earlier in 1997, only 10 percent of nerve injuries experienced by patients were linked to undergoing dental implantation. However, there was an increase in cases of patients suffering from this condition as it went up to 30 percent in 2007. What’s more, this condition has resulted to a lower quality of life and discomfort in performing regular activities involving the teeth and oral cavity.

Researchers have discovered that among the patients who were analyzed during the study, over 30 of them experienced discomfort and pain after getting implants. Moreover, 40 percent of these patients suffered from numbness with some mild pain.

What Can Be Done

Dentists must see to it that patients are completely aware of possible risks involving the surgery. After all, aside from physical symptoms and discomfort, there are potential psychological concerns that may arise eventually such as depression – based on studies conducted by researchers. Among these patients who suffered from post-surgery pain, they were not given adequate treatment after the procedure. Thus, clinicians should work on improving their treatment procedures to minimize risks that come with this type of surgery.

For instance, there were some inadequacies beginning with the pre-operative consent, which can continue on with the planning, follow-up and treatment. As a result, nerve damages may occur because of a lack of pre- and post-surgery education and treatment given to some patients.

It is also worth noting that patients should be given enough information on what to expect before, during and after surgery. In case they are suffering from any infections or diseases, it is better to have these addressed before surgery is conducted. This way, any complications can be prevented in the long run. All of these can contribute to the success of the implantation while reducing any risks, at the same time.