The first thing you need to understand is that a dental implant is unlikely to fall out. In any event, it will be the prosthesis (the false tooth) fitted to the metallic implant that will become loose or fall out, and this is a rare occurrence. Dental implants are engineered and installed with such precision that they are designed to last a lifetime, provided you take care of them. Just as you might damage a natural tooth by biting something that is particularly hard or cold, a dental implant can also become damaged in this way. Your dentist will have probably given you a list of foods to avoid in the weeks and months following the procedure. Since a dental implant is made of a harder material than your tooth, the overall unit (the false tooth) will remain intact, but it can fall out in extreme cases. So what do you need to do in the rare event that the prosthetic component of a dental implant falls out?

Find the Prosthesis

The prosthesis itself will have been expensive to produce, and so you need to hold onto it if it falls out. Rinse it off, and place it into a small plastic container packed in tissue so that it remains secure. You do not need to preserve it in any type of solution since it is not an organic tooth. If you should accidentally swallow the false tooth, you will need to induce vomiting immediately. This is not pleasant and yet is far preferable to locating the false tooth after it has passed through your system and emerged from the other end.

Time Can Be of the Essence

You should have the false tooth reattached as soon as possible, and yet this is not always possible. If you are on holiday or are otherwise not able to see your dentist immediately, the matter can be temporarily delayed. Just remember that the longer you wait, the more complicated the reattachment process can be. If you have any doubts, contact your dentist and ask for advice. They might suggest that you see a dentist in your current destination if you weren't planning to return home for a while.

Soft Tissue

You will recall that your dental implant was installed in stages. The metallic implant was positioned into your jawbone, and then sufficient healing time was allowed for your gum tissues to essentially grow around the implant, securing it into place. When the prosthesis falls out, the exposed soft tissue might grow to cover the partially submerged implant, making it difficult to reattach the prosthesis. This is only an issue if you do not have the prosthesis reattached in a timely manner. Even if there's partial tissue regrowth over the implant, your dentist can remove this with a laser. This should be avoided if possible, since it increases both the price and healing time of the procedure.

While rare, the prosthetic component of a dental implant can sometimes fall out. Fortunately, it's more of an inconvenience than an emergency and can be fixed easily enough.

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