– Dr. Ravi S Batra, Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon
Before we answer the safety issues regarding dental implants, it’s important to know what are dental implants?
A Dental Implant is the substitute for a missing tooth and is the most effective replacement of a tooth with regards to function and esthetics. It’s routinely and safely carried out as a minor surgical procedure under local anesthesia on a dental chair as an outpatient procedure. It’s quite normal to have some questions in mind when you are planning to get a dental implant procedure. This write-up will answer most of your queries about safety in dental implants.
Q 1. Can I get dental Implants done if I’m diabetic?
A.- It is absolutely safe to get dental implants done even if you are diabetic provided your blood sugar levels are under control. Your doctor will advise you of certain blood sugar level tests before the procedure. The most common being glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c).
Q2. Is Dental Implant procedure safe during pregnancy?
A.- Since the procedure is done under local anesthesia, it’s absolutely safe to get implant procedure during pregnancy. However, the procedure may require x-rays during implant placement which is not advisable during pregnancy.
Q3. Will I have problems in getting an MRI done if I have dental implants in my jaws?
A.- Not exactly. You can still get MRI done in spite of having dental implants. The only issue could be the MRI image can get slightly distorted if the area being scanned is very close to the dental implant. The newer MRI & CT machines have drastically reduced the problem of image distortion.
Q4. What if my body rejects the implant?
A.- Dental implants are made of Titanium which is biocompatible and is also used in joint replacement and cardiac stents. It is well accepted by the body however there is a 5-7% failure rate due to various other reasons like infection, metabolic disorders, improper techniques etc.
Q5. Am I a good candidate for dental implants if I’m a smoker?
A.- It’s well documented now that light smoking will not interfere with success of implants whereas dental implants are contraindicated in heavy smokers as smoking interferes with bone turnover (bone healing) resulting in failure of implants.
Q6. Will dental implant cause a problem during security checks at the airports?
A.- Usually it doesn’t cause any problem unless you have extensive implantation procedure done in your mouth in which case it’s wise to get a certificate from your implantologist and carry it with you during your travel.
