There are quite a few misconceptions about dental implants that tend to be repeated over and over again by people online, which can mislead and confuse those who are interested in using these dental devices to replace their teeth. Below are two examples of major misconceptions about dental devices that need to be cleared up.

Individuals with implants don't have to get them checked regularly because they're not real teeth

One frequently-repeated misconception about dental implants is that people who have these dental devices don't need to have their dentists examine them regularly because the implants are artificial and so cannot rot in the way that real teeth can. Although it is technically correct to say that implants will not succumb to damage when exposed to plaque, it is not at all true that people who have implants don't need to have them checked regularly, just because these dental devices are immune to plaque-related damage.

In reality, it is extremely important for those who have implants to have their dentists inspect them a few times a year. These appointments can enable their dentist to test the stability of the implants and can allow them to detect budding problems such as peri-implantitis (an infection which causes inflammation in the gingival tissues around an implant, as well as the bone that they're attached to), which might lead to the implants failing if they're not eradicated before they've done too much damage.

People cannot have their implant's crown replaced without having the whole implant removed

The crowns of dental implants are very durable. However, if a person with an implant suffers any type of major physical trauma involving their face, their implant's crown might get chipped. One misconception that is circulated about implants is that when this dental device's crown sustains damage like this, the entire item, including the titanium rod that is attached to the jawbone, must be removed and a full new implant must be inserted. This misconception could make the idea of getting an implant unappealing to a lot of people, as having a new titanium implant fitted and then waiting for it to bond with the bone is very a long process.

The truth is that when a crown breaks, the titanium component can usually be left in place, and the broken crown can be removed by a person's dentist and replaced with a new crown in the span of about a week or so. Although the removal of the broken crown can be a bit more challenging for a dentist if it has been cemented into place rather than screwed on, they should still be able to complete this process in a single appointment.

For more information on dental implants, contact a dentist.

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