The idea of getting instant implants via new teeth in a day procedure feels very exciting but also a bit worrisome at the same time.
It’s because of the treatment’s extremely quick turnaround, which, due to feeling ‘too good to be true’, elicits a sense of skepticism among patients.
They have many questions regarding the treatment safety and any potential post surgical complications.
One such question is “can new teeth in a day get easily infected?”. Infections are generally a risk among all implant procedures but patients wonder whether the risk increases in case of same day implants.
Valid question indeed.
And it’s important you read up on it beforehand so you enter the treatment with a fully prepared (and eased) mind.
This blog will help you with it! Read more to get clear answers to your confusion. We’ll also give helpful tips to prevent infections and touch on treatment methods as well.
Understanding New Teeth In A Day
Let’s get a quick overview of new teeth in a day before addressing the infection concern.
“New teeth in a day” is basically a very quick and comprehensive implant placement procedure in which all the missing teeth in a jaw are permanently replaced with implants (implant dentures).
Such quick treatment turnaround is a genuine need of the time as the majority of implant recipients have reservations about the long and tiresome placement process of traditional implants.
For context, traditional implant dentures take about 4-6 months to be placed if we take into account the entire placement timeline from start to finish. It’s due to the treatment being performed in segments in individual sittings. First the implant posts (fixtures) are put into the jaw, then the abutments (connectors) are joined, and then finally the dentures are loaded.
New teeth in a day treatment compresses this month-long process into a single day. In this treatment all the core implant placement stages (fixture placement + abutment connection + denture loading) are all executed in a single day.
The credit for these instant results is due to the careful, intelligent and precise planning where the most dense regions of the jaw are selected for implant placement. 4-6 implants (and a denture) are typically required to replace a complete edentulous dental arch.
Can New Teeth In A Day Get Infected?
Time to address the main question.
Yes, new teeth in a day can indeed get infected.
But this isn’t supposed to be taken as a threat or bad news because, fortunately, the incidence of infection is just the same as for regular implant procedures. It’s not more than patients commonly assume.
The risk of getting infections is always there (though pretty minimal if proper post surgical care is employed) when it comes to surgeries in general, and the same applies to implant surgeries.
It’s because of the surgical damage suffered by the gums and the jawbone which makes them vulnerable to bacterial invasion. Bacteria may enter the surgical site and multiply there. This proliferation of bacteria causes them to release toxins in large amounts, which in turn irritate the tissues, leading to redness, pain swelling and even bleeding in severe cases.
The risk, however, isn’t limited to the post surgical phase and continues throughout the time you have implants as the presence of infection-causing bacteria (and their invasion of the gums and the jaw) will always be there.
The only way to combat their influence regardless of during the surgical phase or after it is to keep the bacteria at bay by maintaining good oral hygiene.
Besides bacterial invasion (which is the most common reason for implant infections) there could be other reasons for infections too.
For example, mistakes during surgery (like placing the implants in the wrong position or cutting the gums/jaw a bit too deep) could also trigger an infectious response in the tissues, leading to the same symptoms as are caused by a bacterial infection. Moreover trauma to the implants is also a common cause for infections. Sinus leakage problems after surgery could also be a contributing cause as well among other indirect extrinsic factors.
How To Prevent Implant Infections?
Knowing the risk of infections is just one side of the picture. The other (and much more important) side is educating yourself about infection prevention strategies.
Because if you eliminate all the possibilities of getting your implant infected in the first place, you won’t have to worry about complications or treatments at all.
As we mentioned, the single most important prevention strategy is to maintain perfect oral hygiene so that bacteria wouldn’t get the chance to invade the implant site. This includes brushing and flossing correctly and diligently everyday and using an antibacterial mouthwash (if approved by your surgeon) for added protection against germs.
It’s also essential to visit your dentist every 6 months to get your implants evaluated. It’s much easier to treat an infection if it gets caught early.
Keeping your implants protected from undue trauma is also necessary as even a single hard hit to them can irritate the implants, even if the implants have stayed alright for many years. Damaging habits like tooth grinding also need to be avoided as they can also traumatize implants over time.
Last but not least, you need to keep your immune system strong so that minor irritations won’t easily translate into an infection.
What Are The Treatments For Implant Infection?
Now the last question is, what’s the possible treatment if your implants end up getting infected?
Well, it depends on the particular cause of the infection and how severe it is.
Mild to moderate infections if caused by bacterial invasion are treated with antibiotics. Other medicines may also be prescribed to ease the pain and inflammation associated with the infection. In case of severe infections, however, the surgeon might have to remove the implant and physically clean the infected site in addition to prescribing medication.
As for other causes of infection, treatments involve fixing the particular cause. For example if infection occurs due to sinus leakage or misplaced implants then the leakage or misplacement has to be rectified in order to resolve the infection.
Conclusion
To conclude, new teeth in a day can get infected but the probability of infection is very low (if you keep your oral hygiene intact and stay away from implant damaging habits). Prevention demands consistent efforts but it’s worth keeping your implants healthy and working for decades.
Have some more questions regarding new teeth in a day? Schedule a FREE consultation with The Smile Clinic, a premium dental practice located in Sacramento, California, USA. Talk to our team of implant experts and pave your way to a healthy and beautiful smile!
