The Effect of Bruxism on Dental Implant Success

If you lose a tooth because of trauma or disease, a dental professional can create a dental implant to replace that tooth. Implants are titanium rods that replace the root section of the missing tooth and serve as a base for either a porcelain or an acrylic plastic tooth. Several factors, including bruxism, influence the success of the implant.

Identification

• People with bruxism have a habit of grinding and clenching their teeth. They're often unaware of this habit, and bruxism often occurs during sleeping hours.

Effects

• Over time, bruxism can impact the interface between the implant and your bone to the point that the implant becomes unstable and may even fall out. It may also wear down the chewing surface of your implanted tooth, leaving you with an uneven bite.

Significance

• If you have bruxism, your dental professional will recommend regular visits so she can balance your occlusion (dental bite) and make the implant more stable. She may also do some tissue refitting around the dental implant to ensure it stays in place.

Considerations

• Porcelain teeth are harder and more durable than acrylic ones, so bruxism will have less impact on the chewing surface of a porcelain implant. On the other hand, the softer acrylic teeth transmit less of the grinding pressure to the implant/bone interface, leaving you with a more even bite.

Tip

• A dental professional can make a customized mouth guard to protect your dental implants from bruxism.