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How Bruxism Can Affect A Dental Implant Restoration

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There are multiple ways in which bruxism can affect your oral health. It can even impact your dental appliances or devices. Here are a few ways that bruxism can impact a dental implant restoration:

Implant Failure

A dental implant is a metal screw or rod that is inserted into the jawbone to replace a tooth root.The implant becomes stabilized inside the bone and can support about the same amount of bite pressure as a natural tooth. During its healing process, the implant becomes fused with the bone, but if it is moved from its position after the healing process is complete, the implant will not reintegrate with the bone. Thus, the dental implant will fail.

Bruxism is teeth grinding that occurs at night. The force of the grinding is known to cause significant damages, such as cracks or chips, to natural teeth. However, the force can also cause a dental implant to shift from its original position. Since the implant will not re-assimilate with the jawbone, a new implant may be needed to replace the original device. In some cases, the implant site is too damaged to receive a new implant. As a result, a zygomatic dental implant may be necessary. 

Zygomatic dental implants are installed in the bone of the cheek instead of that of the jaw. Although the zygomatic device will adequately replace a traditional implant, it can also be moved from position by a bout of bruxism.

Crown Damage

When a dental implant restoration is used to replace a single tooth, after the implant has healed in position, it is fitted with an abutment. The abutment allows the implant to connect to a dental crown, which covers the implant, restores the patient's chewing ability, and creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 

Dental crowns that are used in implant restorations are frequently made from porcelain or porcelain-over-metal, since the material is tooth-colored and translucent like tooth enamel. The porcelain can crack or break just as a natural tooth can. Additionally, the crown can be damaged even if the dental implant remains securely in place. 

If the crown is the only component of the implant restoration that is damaged, it can be replaced without requiring the installation of a new dental implant. 

How can damage be avoided?

Implant damage from bruxism can be avoided by wearing a mouth guard nightly to avoid the shock of the grinding's pressure.

To learn more about how bruxism may affect your dental implants, schedule an appointment with an implant dentist in your area, such as John P Poovey DMD PC.


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