Would appreciate advice on constant strange taste in mouth after dental implants

[DC1962]

Would appreciate advice on constant strange taste in mouth after dental implants

Hi. Hoping someone can give me some advice as I am just about at the end of my tether and don't know who else to ask. I hope it is OK to post here, apologies if not.

After years of serious dental phobia (very bad experiences as a child in the 60's) and ten years without visiting a dentist, I knew I had to do something about my ancient crowns and one bridge, some of which which were starting to come loose. Two years ago I made my first appointment and surprisingly, most of my teeth and gums were ok ( I am fastidious in my oral care) but the old crowns which had all been root treated were brittle and needed to come out. I ended up getting quite a lot of treatment under IV sedation, including two immediate dental implants. (I had absolutely no problems, the sedation was just amazing and the teeth look great. I can't say I look forward to appointments yet - but I am a much happier patient than I used to be.)

Then last year another root treated tooth at the front/side snapped off, was unable to be salvaged, and I decided to have yet another implant in September 2011. (Fortunately I have a VERY understanding husband with deep pockets. ) This time I had to have a partial denture made to allow the implant to heal.

From the very start, from the moment I got home and came round from the sedation I noticed a very odd taste/sensation in my mouth after this latest implant. I find it very hard to describe. It is almost like a sweet, minty, almost 'menthol' sensation, but without the 'pleasant' minty taste. It is a constant tingling, like the sensation you get on the soft tissues in the mouth if you use mouthwash, or breathe in after brushing with a mint toothpaste. Right from the start it affected everything I ate, and I was aware of it every single moment of the day. (It was not as bad when the partial was in, but was very strong without it.) I know there are probably worse tastes than the one I have described - mint doesn't sound to bad - but it really is a horrible taste tingling sensation on the tongue and gums, and having it day in day out was really getting me down. I went back to the dentist, who told me I had developed a condition similar to peri coronitis, where bacteria gets caught in the flaps of gum. He told me the sweet, rotting taste was 'pus'. He put a longer cap on the implant and gave me metronidazole, but the taste did not go away. It is now January, and I have the final porcelain crown on the implant and the taste is still there, stronger than ever. The dentist has taken x-rays and checked for mucositis and peri implantitis and can find nothing.

I am so desperate I have been googling (as one does) and although I have not found a definitive answer, there are other people out there who have complained of weird tastes after implants and have had to get them removed as it affected their lives so much. 'Galvanic reaction' is mentioned, where a different type of implant was used and is causing electrical activity in the mouth, or even reacting with existing amalgam. I don't really feel at this stage I can ask my dentist about this without sounding like a bit of a nutter, he has been very patient with me - and so I would appreciate any advice I can get from anyone here.

Thanks in advance
Deirdre

 

[comfortdentist]

Re: Would appreciate advice on constant strange taste in mouth after dental implants

what tooth was replaced
when was the surgery
has there been any changes

 

[DC1962]

Re: Would appreciate advice on constant strange taste in mouth after dental implants

what tooth was replaced
when was the surgery
has there been any changes

Hi, it was a first premolar, upper right.

This was a crowned tooth which formed part of a bridge to the lateral incisor. (Just to complicate matters - the canine tooth on that side was missing. It erupted high in the gum as a child and was removed. The lateral incisor removed ten years ago, and a bridge made using the premolar, the crown of which was shaped to look like a canine tooth. This premolar had been root treated and recently snapped off, hence the implant.)

Surgery was in early September and a flipper was worn for almost four months until late December (to allow for healing and gum shrinkage, and I guess also because the implant now had to support the false lateral incisor and it had to be well integrated)

Due to the longer cap the gum never grew over the site, so it did not need be uncovered, and the new permanent porcelain bridge comprising two teeth was fitted to the implant late December.

The taste has been present since day one of surgery. The gum around the site is nice and pink with no redness but flossing with expanding floss does hurt slightly around the neck of the implant and very slight bleeding. Implant dentist examined me last week and found nothing untoward, just mentioned that my gum had shrunk rather a lot, and the new bridge is very bulky at the top to bring it 'out' in line with other teeth and avoid a 'shelf' effect. He thought this bulky crown might be rubbing a little but could see no infection.

Thanks