The link between Bruxism and Dental Implants

Implant Dentistry is the next big thing in the modern dental world. Dental implants are the ideal choice to replace a missing adult tooth because of their exact match of the real tooth and restoring a real tooth's functionalities like biting and chewing force, speech, etc. Besides these, the implant teeth are firmly anchored with the underlying jaw bone. Likewise, the implants can be used with other restoration appliances like dentures and bridges.

Even though the teeth implants are not natural, they are also prone to certain complications which put the real teeth at risk. The habit of Bruxism will deteriorate the implant teeth as well as the natural teeth.

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is a movement disorder of the stomatognathic system which is identified with the grinding, clenching of the teeth when a person sleeps and wakefulness. It might occur because of excessive stress or depression.

Whether the cause is, frequent grinding of teeth will leave you with complications like wear down of enamel, weakening jaw bone, etc. Similarly, it will influence the implant dentistry treatments and fake teeth fixed with implants.

In this post, you can come to know how bruxism affects dental implants, explained by Dr.Sendhilnathan, an eminent implantologist in Chennai.

Problems caused by Bruxism on Teeth Implants

1)    Affects Osseointegration

When an implant is fixed, the tissues present in the jaw bone and gum tissues should integrate with the metal post. This process is known as Osseointegration which will take a few months. Teeth grinding will extend the healing period and prolong the process of implant fusing with the jaw bone.

In such cases, the chances are higher for the tooth implants to mobilize. It obstructs the amalgamation of the implant with the bone and leads to implant failure.

2)    Implant Fatigue Fractures

The prosthetic appliance like crowns, bridges and dentures which mimic the shape and structure of a natural tooth have a fatigue curve. Such curves can endure a sufficient force magnitude for a certain time. If it encounters an intense force or force with minimum magnitude repeatedly or a prolonged time, it will cause cracks over the prosthetic appliance or false teeth.

3)    Loosen the implant components

The stress applied on the implant teeth for a prolonged time will cause implant overload. This is the main reason behind the loosening of implants, loosening of the prosthesis and abutment screw (which adjoins the implant and tooth-like substance placed) loosening.

Effects on Treatment planning

It is quite complicated to fix dental implants to a bruxing patient when compared to a person who does not grind his/her teeth. The habit is effective to influence the treatment preparations as described below:

1)    Implant Design

In general, the metallic cylinder implant posts should be wider in order to get a wider root for better contact with bone. Likewise, the implants are fixed with minimum length. If an excess of force is applied over the implant post due to clenching teeth, it will push the metal post to increase the width by 1 mm or more for better placement and reduce strain in the cordial bone.

2)    Prosthesis Design

The prosthetic appliances are designed in the manner of distributing the stress on implants. The contact between the teeth on the upper and lower jaw should be minimum to prevent cracks on the prosthesis. Hence the occlusal surfaces need to be reduced.

Conclusion

It is not a new thing to reveal that bruxism also known as teeth grinding will affect your dental health by weakening the jaw bone, lead to gum recession, tooth loss and other dental discomforts. This habit is powerful to wreck the teeth fixed with implants.

Wearing occlusal guards and night guards over the teeth will help the bruxing persons to avert this habit. We recommend the people who have the habit of grinding their teeth to consult their Dentist.

How does smoking affect dental implants?

Everyone knows that smoking is bad for our health. The oral region with which the tobacco products are inhaled is highly vulnerable to serious infections and diseases. Do you know cigarettes and other tobacco products will affect the false teeth fixed with implants?

Dental implant is the widely used missing teeth replacement solution. Teeth fixed with implants are highly durable and assures 90% of success rates. An implant replaces the missing tooth root and requires ample support from the jaw bone. An implant tooth should be surrounded by healthy jaw bone and gum tissues to stand rigidly. Smoking is powerful to loosen the implants and fall out. 

How smoking is related to implant failure?  The facts are explained by Dr. Sendhilnathan an expert implantologist in Chennai.

1)Smoking shortens the blood flow

Nicotine is the chemical compound present in cigarettes. It can constrict the blood vessels present in mouth and skin. This results in the oral regions do not get sufficient blood supply and antibodies carried by the blood. When the implants are fixed, the implant site is injured because of the surgery. During the healing process, the implant gets fused with the jaw bone.

In contrast, smoking prolongs the healing period. The chances are higher for bacterial accumulation in the surgical site during healing. Bacteria's entry in the implant region interferes the bonding of the implant with the jaw bone. It ends in the false tooth falls down within a short period after implantation.

2)Affects Salivary Glands

Smoking cigarette and consuming tobacco in any form will affect the salivary glands. It results in less production of saliva.

Apart from keeping the moist condition of our mouth, saliva plays a dominant role in excluding the bacteria and other harmful microorganisms in our mouth. If there is a lack of salivary production, it will end up in the dry mouth which is taken advantage by the oral bacteria and cause various oral complications including gum diseases.

Remember that gum diseases like Gingivitis and Periodontitis have the same effect on dental implants like natural teeth. It weakens the bone with the implants and leads to implant failure.

3)Peri-Implantitis

Teeth implants are highly prone to an infectious disease called peri-implantitis. It causes inflammation in the gum tissues and loosen the osseointegrated bone followed by the bone loss and ends in the tooth implants fall out.

As the implants do not have the ligaments possessed by a natural tooth, when an implanted tooth is infected with the infectious disease, it will become easily loosened. 

Dentists say that infectious disease has been caused by oral bacteria. If you are a smoker, then you are highly vulnerable to peri-implantitis.

Conclusion

The durability of implant teeth depends upon how you take care of it. Apart from keeping the fake teeth clean with dental hygiene, you have to skip things that are harmful to the implants. Cigarettes and tobacco products are the prime things to avoid after fixing implants.

If you cannot abstain this habit, at last try to lower the consumption. But you should not smoke for a week before fixing implants. Similarly, avoiding smoking for one week after fixing dental implants is also important. If you smoke immediately following the implantation, bacterial accumulation over the site may occur and leads to further complications.

Have queries on dental implants? Contact the best dental implant centre in Chennai.