Could Your Body Reject Your New Dental Implant?
Posted on: 11 October 2022
You might have heard of implant rejection—when the body rejects an organic or synthetic object that was medically implanted into it. Although you might be convinced that a dental implant offers the strongest and most natural-looking replacement option for your missing tooth (and you'd be correct), you might still be wondering—is it possible for your body to reject a dental implant?
The Implant in Your jaw
Dental implants aren't prone to being rejected, and as the concept relates to other forms of rejection, it's not quite possible for such a rejection to occur. Remember that the implant itself is a titanium alloy screw inserted into your jaw. The screw becomes an artificial tooth root, and once your jaw has healed, a prosthetic tooth is secured to the implant. It's inert, and its connection to living tissue only involves your bone healing around it, which your bone does quite naturally.
Titanium Alloy
Serious rejections aren't associated with dental implants. In the exceedingly rare circumstances that your implant becomes incompatible with your jaw, there are numerous solutions. One of these compatibility issues pertains to the titanium alloy of the implant. Should you be in the minuscule minority of the population (estimated at 0.6%) who are allergic to titanium, the implant may irritate your jaw and surrounding tissues. This annoying irritation will be the extent of any so-called rejection.
Allergies and Alternatives
If you're aware of any existing titanium allergy, you must inform your dentist during your preliminary discussion about your implant. If you suspect that you have a titanium allergy, you may wish to be tested. For those who could be affected, an alternative is possible. Your dentist can install an implant made of zirconia, which is an exceptionally strong ceramic material.
Potential Failure
Your implant could conceivably fail, presenting symptoms that can be associated with implant rejection. This probably sounds alarming but is easily avoided. A postoperative infection could lead to the implant losing its integration with your jaw, with the surrounding tissues then becoming inflamed, perhaps uncomfortably so. Such an infection can generally be corrected by intervention from your dentist (report any suspicious symptoms immediately), but infection can be averted by thoroughly following your dentist's aftercare instructions with regard to oral hygiene.
Implant rejection isn't a major concern and can be almost entirely avoided with proper preparation and by diligently caring for your oral health after the implant has been placed.
Contact your dentist for more information about dental implants.
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