Create account
All articles / Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Implant Surgical Complications

Dental implants are a well-established method for replacing lost teeth. Despite a good prognosis, surgical complications like bleeding, nerve damage, and infections can occur. Careful planning, surgical technique, and follow-up are crucial for success.

Author: Peter Ohannessian • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon • Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery • Linköping
Reviewed by: Robert Heymann • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon • PhD • Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery • Karolinska University Hospital • Stockholm
9 min read
Table of contents

    This article is based on an original article in Swedish which can be found here

    BACKGROUND

    Dental implants have revolutionized the ability to restore good function and aesthetics in the dentition after tooth loss over the past decades. Implant surgeries are generally considered safe and routine with very good prognosis. In 2019, approximately 82,000 fixtures were operated on in Sweden. Increased demand for implant treatments means that more dentists are learning to perform implant surgeries. This, in turn, leads to an increased incidence of surgical complications. Practitioners must be prepared for potential complications that can be life-threatening, requiring rapid and urgent interventions.

    Etiology

    Most complications arising from implant surgery are operator-related. To minimize risk, the following is required:

    • Thorough patient history
    • Clinical and radiological examination for optimal planning of the procedure
    • Good knowledge of anatomy and tissue biology in the surgical area
    • Good surgical technique with adequate and gentle soft and hard tissue handling

    Complications

    Complications associated with implant surgery can be divided into perioperative and postoperative:

    • Perioperative complications
      1. Perioperative bleeding
      2. Displacement of fixtures
      3. Damage to adjacent teeth
      4. Nerve injuries
      5. Inhalation
      6. Malpositioned fixture
    • Postoperative complications
      1. Postoperative bleeding
      2. Dehiscence in the flap
      3. Edema
      4. Infection
      5. Mandibular fracture
      6. Failure of osseointegration
      7. Apical lesion

    Perioperative Complications

    1. Perioperative Bleeding

    Perioperative bleeding associated with implant surgery is usually mild. Most bleeding can be managed with compression, application of local hemostatic agents (adrenaline, Tranexamic acid), cauterization of the vessel (hot ball tip or diathermy), clamping the vessel with a hemostat, and then ligating it with suture.

    Table of contents