Implant failure? I had the All-on-4 procedure done almost 7 weeks ago now.

Question

I've had to go back because my teeth felt too big and my jaw wasn't resting.. which then lead to my jaw locking. They filed down some of the teeth but I'm still having problem with my jaw. The one implant hurt when they removed the teeth and felt a little loose to me. They assured me by taking an X-ray that all was well. It has since felt on more occasion than not, like a toothache and sometimes theres a taste. Should I be concerned?

Dan Holtzclaw, DDS, MS · Answer

Good evening.  It sounds like you are describing an increased vertical dimension of occlusion.  Oftentimes, when folks say that they feel like their teeth are "too big", the doctor has often increased the height of your bite (increased vertical dimension of occlusion).  Here is an easy way to think about it:
Draw a dot on your nose and your chin and measure that distance.  As your teeth wear down over time, the distance between those 2 dots will decrease.  Essentially, your nose it getting closer to your chin as your teeth wear down.  That is one reason people "look old" as their teeth wear down. This situation has "decreased" your vertical dimension of occlusion.  
Now, when you get an All-On-4 procedure in this situation, the doctor will often "increase" your vertical dimension of occlusion by putting bigger teeth onto the implants.  After the teeth are put in, if you measure the distance for the dots on your chin and your nose, that distance will have increased because your old worn down teeth have been replaced with new taller teeth.
The average person can tolerate a range of increased vertical dimension of occlusion.  On occasion, if the bite is opened more than the person can tolerate, they may feel like "they cannot close their mouth" or that they "can never relax their jaw".  Essentially, your jaw muscles never get to attain a "resting" position and they are always activated.  This tires out the muscles and can eventually lead to jaw soreness, head aches, neck aches, and even should pain.  
If a bite is opened more than a person can tolerate, the first thing the dentist will do is "shave down" the bite by adjusting the teeth.  This often solves the problem.  If not, the next step is often to replace the teeth with a "shorter" set.  The good news is that these issues with vertical dimension of occlusion are often self limiting in most cases.As for the implants hurting, if you are a month out from your procedure and things are still sore, ask your dentist to check out the area.  Personally, I would take off your temporaries and check out the site.  If the implant is having any issues, I would just replace it.  However, every dentist is different.  Some folks don't like removing the temp teeth at one month. 
I hope this helps!

Dan Holtzclaw, DDS, MS

Robert A. Rees, DDS · Answer

You should definitely check in with the dentist/surgeon that placed the implant for you. It is not unusual for there to be complications with implants used under an All on Four denture case. It is also possible that the bite needs further adjustment from the dentist that did the all on 4 procedure.

Sean Mohtashami, DDS · Answer

It is possible for implants to failure from incorrect placement. Symptoms may present themselves prior to the implant actually failing. If the x-ray doesn't show any signs of failure, it could be fine for now, but  down the line there is a possibility of failure. Keep an eye on it and be sure to bring up your concerns to your dentist.
Good luck!

Kourosh Maddahi, DDS · Answer

Hi:It is difficult with out actual clinical exam to tell if the implant is failing.  In my experience prolong pain in the implant area past normal healing period of 4-6 weeks is not a good sign.Best,Dr. Maddahi

Implant failure? I had the All-on-4 procedure done almost 7 weeks ago now.

Answers (4)

Answer: All on 4

Answer: All on 4

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Implant failure? I had the All-on-4 procedure done almost 7 weeks ago now.

Answers (4)

Answer: All on 4

Answer: All on 4

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Everything you need to know about All-on-4 Dental Implants

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