Dental implants feel and function exactly like normal teeth, so because normal teeth aren’t infallible neither are your implants. They’re reliable, sturdy, and strong, but under unusual or uncharacteristic pressure they can break just like a natural tooth would. However, just like regular teeth if you treat them with care then they can last you many happy and long years! Here at Beeston Dental in Nottingham, we break down how it can break and how you can prevent it from doing so with some useful tips.

How does a dental implant break?

Your dental implant is made up of three parts, and each one of these parts aren’t immune to wear and tear. Their three components are the implant themselves (the titanium screw placed in your jaw bone, the connective abutment (the post between root and crown), and the crown itself, which is the part that looks like the tooth. Let’s take a look at how each of these apparatuses can come under strain.

Your crown and abutment can break when too much pressure is applied to them. We’re not talking about the pressure created by chewing or biting into your food – dental implants are purpose-built to withstand this kind of everyday usage – but rather biting or chewing unrelenting materials. If you’re biting through plastic labels, packages, or chewing pen lids, then you could risk damaging your crown or abutment. Even your natural teeth can wear down over time if you make a habit of doing these things because of the acute pressure applied to a material that is unrelenting. Eating very hard foods or chewing ice will also put your crown under stress, just like they do your regular teeth.

The dental implant itself, the root placed in the jawbone, can break or fail if too much pressure is applied to it before it has fully healed and bonded with your jawbone. If the bone has not compacted around it properly, then it will of course cause discomfort and possible failure.

How to fix a broken dental implant

This all depends on which part of your dental implant needs a little TLC. If the implant itself has broken, the only way to fix it is to completely remove it and replace it with a new root. If extra bone work is required for this, we can of course help, but it will delay the replacement by a month or two while we restore your jaw’s strength. If an abutment or crown breaks, then we only need to replace this singular component.

How to avoid breaking your dental implants

Don’t use your dental implants, or teeth, to bite through anything that isn’t food. No biting labels, no using your teeth to open parcels, nothing that isn’t eating or chewing. Teeth grinding and clenching can also place a lot of pressure on your teeth, so if you think you grind your teeth speak to your dentist at your dental implant consultation. Following your aftercare and healing guidelines set by your implant dentist is also very important, as they are there to keep you safe and healthy.

Dental implants in York

If you or someone close to you is considering dental implants in Nottingham, then contact the team at Beeston Dental today. We’ll be happy to speak to you about your individual needs at your initial consultation.