• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

    Register now to access all the features of the forum.

Implants

A

al

Former Member
I had three ITI Straumann SLA Active implants done 3 months ago. Not long after the surgery (about a week) I could see metal through a hole that had appeared in the gum. At first the surgeon said it was nothing to worry about but as it didn't close up he recommended covering it with some tissue from the inside of my mouth. He did this two weeks ago, but whilst doing it he noticed that there had been some "resorption" of one of the implants and he had to do a bone augmentation. Afet this my mouth was very swollen for several days and my doctor told me I had Cellulitis. Anyway high dosage on ABs seemed to sort this out but I had noticed a white jelly like substance on the surface of my gum. I thought that this was part of the healing process but when I spoke to the surgeon he though tthat it might be that the bone had rejected the augmentation. I went to see the dentist today and now it seems that the bone graft and gum graft may have failed. Please can someone tellme:-

a) what is the stainless steel that sits between the gum and the bone actually doing?
b) does this entire practice sound normal?
c) should I see a periodontist now?
d) what does resorption mean?
e) what materials are usually used for a bone augmentation. This stuff came out of a big syringe, but surely it is a fairly solid material not runny like jelly?

The last surgery I had was very traumatic and I could feel pain whilst it was happening, hence I am very reluctant to have anything else done(particularly by this dentist) If small bits of metal are visible through the gum can this be left untreated or is further gum surgery needed. Is there anything I can put on the gum to help healing and gum growth?

Thanks

AL :-
 
1) It sounds like a bit of the implant. That's titanium not steel.
2) Define normal?
3) Prosthodontist or periodontist with implant experience
4) Bone resorbs due to the activity of cells called osteoclasts. It's basically a remodelling/reshaping process. Implants don't resorb.
5) Freeze dried bone normally, but there may be other materials. I'm not a surgical specialist
6) If you can see the implant through the gum then it certainly needs treatment. You can't fix it by putting things on it.
 
Back
Top