Dental Implant Moving
The first and most important idea to address is that your implant should not move, wiggle or shift in any way. While your natural teeth may move slightly, even when they’re healthy, because they are attached to a ligament, or a soft tissue that stretches. If your natural teeth move more than about a hundredth of an inch, then you may need to talk to the dentist about gum disease.
Your dental implant should not even move that small amount because the implant is not attached to the same ligament. The dental implant is attached to the jaw bone where the implant fused to the jaw. The process of osseointegration is when the implant that was screwed into place heals where new bone tissue grows on it. If you can feel the implanted post moving, then there is a problem with the implant or with your jaw bone.
Avoid Rocking It or Trying to Pull It Out
If you notice your dental implant has moved out of place, do not try to rock back into place. Adding more pressure to an already strained dental implant can damage the jaw bone. Take care to keep your tongue from applying pressure to your compromised implant. If the implant is no longer secure in the jaw, then any additional movement can cause damage to the jaw bone at the implant site.
Even worse, if you rock your implant back and forth with your finger or your tongue, you could be making the problem worse. You may be tempted to tug on your dental implant, but removing it by yourself without professional supervision can be very problematic. You will most likely be causing more problems than you already had by causing problems for your other healthy teeth, the bone or even the soft tissue in your mouth near the implant.
Pay Attention to Signs of an Implant Problem
If you have noticed that your dental implant is starting to move ever so slightly, then you should keep your eyes out for other signs. Associated issues could be:
- An infection at the implant site with redness, pus, or even a fever
- Bleeding at the implant site or with gum tissue near the implant
- Pain at the implant site or near where the implant is loose
- Bone density loss in your jaw at specific areas or overall
Apply Ice to Your Cheek
It is important to reach out to the dentist as soon as you notice your implant is moving. Before your appointment to follow up on the problematic implant, you can apply ice on your cheek at the implant site. This will help your pain decrease and relieve some inflammation if you have discomfort or there is irritation at the implant site. It is better to use a towel to wrap the ice than applying the ice directly to your skin.
See a Dentist and Get Appropriate Treatment
No matter how little pain or how few problems you are experiencing with your moving implant, you need to make a followup appointment. The dentist will be able to review your implant, the symptoms and the best treatment to restore your mouth and implant to good and proper working order. The dentist may need to remove the crown above the gums to have a better view of the implant. The dentist may also use x-rays to determine what the implant and bone look like under the gums. If your dental implant is moving then there may be a problem with how your dental implant is healing particularly if the problems start shortly after you have had the implant surgery. Your body may be rejecting the implant. To stop the implant from continuing to move and to treat the underlying condition the dentist may:
- Prescribe antibiotics to address a bacterial infection
- Tighten the crown back on the implant if the movement is from a loose crown and not the implant
- Checking to see if any component is broken and replacing the damaged piece
- Replacing the current dental implant with a new one when the area has healed and your mouth is ready for another procedure
In short, if your dental implant is moving, you need to make an appointment to see the dentist to prevent anything from getting worse.
The Crown On My Implant Tooth is Loose
If the crown is loose or it falls out, hold on to the crown so you do not have to pay for a replacement if the crown is able to be saved. The dentist will do their best to fix the loose implant and keep you healthy. Take care to not chew on the side of your mouth that has the loose crown your tooth implant is moving, first and foremost, don’t freak out. More than likely the implant tooth can be fixed. There can be many issues that cause an implant tooth to loosen and we will review all of them. The key is to be careful chewing on the loose tooth so you do not cause more damage.
The Screw Can Loosen
If the screw has loosen or the attachment where the crown meets the implant post. This abutment loosening is not too big of an issue and there is a simple fix to address it. The crown will need to have a hole where it connects to the screw and will be filled with material to secure it in place. Most often, the dentist will be able to tighten the screw.
If you have not completed the dental implant procedure and you have a temporary crown in place, that may have fallen out. You will still need to go to the dentist even though this is temporary because the crown is protecting the gums from growing over the implant.
Metal Can Fracture Under Biting Forces
When you are eating extra crunchy foods and applying pressure to the dental implant, then the implant, abutment or crown can break. These components are designed to be sturdy and should not have problems; repairing or replacing the crown and abutment are much less expensive than addressing the implant post.