Can A Dental Implant Be Too Tight?
Have you ever been a bit too optimistic when buying clothes? You might assume (or hope) that a smaller size is the best fit for your body, only to be proven wrong when you try wearing the garment in question. In any event, clothes that are too tight aren't a catastrophe, and it's just a matter of exchanging the item for one that fits your body. Although it's unlikely to happen, it's possible for your new dental implant to be too tight, in a manner of speaking, with consequences that can be more serious than an unflattering new shirt. Fortunately, these consequences are easy to avoid.
Different Components
Dental implants contain different components. There's the implanted section, which is a titanium alloy bolt inserted into your jaw. The peak of the implant is fitted with an abutment, and the prosthetic tooth is then connected to this abutment. When a dental implant is too tight, it's not the implanted portion. Instead, the prosthetic tooth is too wide for the gap it's intended to fill.
Feeling the Strain
A new dental implant will feel a little strange at first. The discomfort from the implantation process will fade away rather quickly, but a newly-restored smile can feel curiously awkward at first. You've presumably grown accustomed to the missing tooth, and have probably made a habit of avoiding this section of your mouth when chewing food. When a prosthetic tooth is too wide, you're likely to feel the strain in the teeth on either side of it.
Artificial Vs. Natural Tooth Roots
A prosthetic tooth that's too wide can be difficult to clean due to a lack of access space on either side, and this has the potential to shift its natural neighbors. Dental implants act as an artificial tooth root system, which is different from the periodontal ligaments that help anchor natural teeth while also granting a small amount of elasticity. It's possible for the excessive width of a prosthetic tooth to shift its neighbors, which tilt in response to the permanent force exerted by the securely anchored prosthetic.
Fractionally Oversized
If you suspect that the prosthetic tooth attached to your dental implant is too tight, see the dentist who installed the implant. It might be that the finished tooth was fractionally oversized. It must be removed, but the implant in your jaw will be unaffected. It might be possible to resize the crown, but sometimes a new one must be manufactured. It's important that you seek treatment. If you delay to the point that neighboring teeth become mobile, you may require orthodontic treatment to return them to their prior position.
It doesn't happen often, but if you can't shake the feeling that your new prosthetic tooth is too tight, it's vital that this is investigated. Sure, it's slightly more complicated than exchanging clothing that's the wrong size, but it is undoubtedly more important. Talk to a local dentist about getting dental implants.
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