Risks and Complications of Implantology
Risks common to all implant techniques
The common risks of implantology include infections of the surgical site, intra- or post-operative bleeding, nerve damage to the inferior alveolar or lingual nerve with potentially permanent paraesthesia, implant failure due to failed osseointegration, damage to adjacent teeth, wound dehiscence and rare allergic reactions to materials.
- Infections: infection of the surgical site can manifest as abscess, cellulitis or osteomyelitis. Antibiotic prophylaxis and sterilisation reduce the risk. In severe cases, the implant must be removed
- Bleeding: intra- or post-operative bleeding. More frequent in patients with coagulation disorders or on anticoagulant therapy. Requires compression, suturing or, rarely, vascular intervention
- Nerve damage: lesion of the inferior alveolar nerve (paraesthesia or anaesthesia of the lip and chin), of the lingual nerve or of the infraorbital nerve. Caused by direct trauma of the drill or compression of the implant. The damage can be temporary or permanent
- Implant failure: failed osseointegration (early) or loss of osseointegration over time (late). For an in-depth treatment, visit the page Implant Failures
- Damage to adjacent teeth: during the preparation of the implant site, the drill can damage the root of a nearby tooth, requiring root canal therapy or extraction
- Wound dehiscence: opening of the suture with exposure of the implant, which can lead to contamination and failure
- Allergic reactions: rare, to implant materials (titanium, zirconia) or to the drugs used (anaesthetics, antibiotics)
Technique-specific risks
Each technique has specific risks: sinus lift can cause perforation of the Schneiderian membrane in 10-30% of cases and chronic sinusitis; zygomatic implants cross the sinus exposing to chronic sinusitis and lesion of the infraorbital nerve; bone grafts present risks of resorption, infection and donor site morbidity.
Sinus lift (maxillary sinus lift)
- Perforation of the Schneiderian membrane (10-30%)
- Acute or chronic post-operative sinusitis
- Resorption or migration of the graft
- Formation of sinus cysts or mucocele
Zygomatic implants
- Chronic sinusitis (the implant crosses the maxillary sinus)
- Lesion of the infraorbital nerve or of the eyeball (rare)
- Exposure of the implant in the sinus
- Hygiene difficulties due to the palatal emergence position
Bone grafts (autologous, heterologous)
- Donor site morbidity (pain, infection, fracture)
- Partial or total resorption of the graft
- Infection of the graft material
- Failed vascularisation and necrosis
How BSS minimises risks
The Bilateral Sinus Solution™ (BSS) minimises risks by eliminating bone grafts and sinus lift, using bicortical anchorage in basal bone for excellent primary stability, operating far from the main nerves, with the Circolare d'Autore® prosthesis without fake gum to facilitate hygiene and reduced operating times that decrease the infectious risk.
The Bilateral Sinus Solution™ (BSS) significantly reduces the risks associated with traditional implantology:
- No bone graft: eliminates the risks related to harvesting and grafting (infection, resorption, donor site morbidity)
- No sinus lift: the maxillary sinus is not touched, eliminating the risk of sinusitis and membrane perforation. Visit the Sinus Lift page for more details
- Bicortical anchorage in basal bone: the bicortical anchorage in basal bone guarantees excellent primary stability, reducing the risk of early failure
- Far from nerves and vessels: the insertion areas (tuber, sphenoid, nasal fossa) are far from the main nerve trunks (inferior alveolar nerve, infraorbital nerve, lingual nerve)
- Prosthesis without fake gum: the Circolare d'Autore® in zirconia-ceramic facilitates hygiene and reduces the risk of peri-implantitis
- Shorter procedure duration: thanks to the standardised surgical technique, operating times are reduced, decreasing the infectious risk
For a detailed description of the procedure and its phases, visit Surgical Procedure.
The Circolare d'Autore® prosthesis
- 14 teeth per arch, including all posterior molars
- Zero fake gum: the teeth emerge from the natural gum
- Zirconia + layered ceramic, with registered trademark ®
- Custom-made: every prosthesis is a unique piece designed for the patient
Discover all the details on the dedicated page: Circolare d'Autore® — the definitive prosthesis without fake gum.