I had a dental implant placed and now my gums are uneven. The one with the implant is higher than the others. I talked to my dentist about it and he said that if he put a temporary crown on it then the gum should drop down. My questions are: 1. Is this a common problem? 2. Will it work? 3. The temporary crown looks awful. Will the permanent one look better?
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
Let me say first that picking a dental implant to replace your tooth was a great decision. This is the closest thing to having a healthy natural tooth. As for your questions. First, yes, this is a common issue. There are several reasons this can happen.
- A basic reason would be the swelling that happens. As the gum heals, it will return to a more normal position.
- Bone loss can also be an issue if you had less bone when you got the implant and didn’t have grafting done.
- Some people have thinner gum tissue. They will be more likely to have some receding around an implant.
- The angle the implant is placed can also affect the contour of your gums.
Second, placing the temporary crown there to see if it will drop is not a bad idea. It doesn’t mean it will, but it is worth trying. If it doesn’t work, then it can still be fixed, it’s just another procedure. It may require an additional surgery to get the gum in place. Your dentist should take responsibility for arranging that.
Your third question about the temporary crown is another important one. I would absolutely insist the temporary crown looks beautiful and blends in with your other teeth. If he doesn’t get the temp crown matching, he’s not going to get the permanent one matching. You paid a lot of money for this dental implant and have the right to insist it match your other teeth.
By the way, if you want your teeth whiter, whitening them now before he redoes the temporary crown is the time to do it. Once your crown is made, the color can’t be changed.
This blog is brought to you by a compassionate dentist in Kalamazoo, Dr. Susan Dennis.
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