Working With The Right Dentist

When Your Bite Doesn't Feel Right: Can A Dental Implant Be Too Wide?

8 December 2021

Pamela Watkins

Once the final prosthetic dental crown is attached to your dental implant, the job is considered to be done. The implant acts as an artificial tooth root, and when the prosthetic tooth is added, the entire unit functions like a natural tooth. It's natural for your bite to feel slightly odd once the dental crown is attached. The dental socket now filled with the implant was previously empty or hosted a severely damaged tooth that was extracted, so it can feel curious to have the gap filled with a functional tooth—albeit an artificial one. 

A Period of Adjustment

If your bite doesn't feel right, it doesn't necessarily mean that you're experiencing any complications. An artificial structure has been added to your jaw and has integrated with the bone and soft tissues, so it's natural that this may require a period of adjustment. But if you are unable to quickly become accustomed to the new addition to your bite, and if you begin to experience discomfort, your dental implant may be fractionally too wide for the dental socket where it was placed.

Too Wide for the Gap

The prosthetic crowns attached to dental implants are intended to be a precise replica of the tooth they're to replace. If the dimensions of the prosthesis deviate from its predecessor, even to a seemingly insignificant degree, your bite can be affected. You may feel a strain, or tightness in your jaw, and natural teeth adjacent to the implant can become uncomfortable.

Your Immoveable Implant

This discomfort is due to the immovable nature of an implant. The implant is connected directly to the underlying bone, whereas natural teeth are secured to the bone via periodontal ligaments. This permits teeth a small amount of elasticity, allowing them to reposition themselves in response to external forces (which is how orthodontic treatment can realign teeth). The implant and its crown are solid, and if the crown is too wide, it can exert pressure on nearby teeth—which is the discomfort you're experiencing. Since the interdental region (the space between your teeth) has been reduced, you may also find it difficult to keep these teeth clean.

Crown Reshaping

If something seems amiss with the fit of your new implant and its crown, you must see your dentist. The unnatural pressure caused by the excessive width of the crown won't resolve itself. The crown will need to be reshaped. Depending on the required extent of this reshaping, your dentist may be able to reduce the crown's width without removing it. However, it may be necessary to temporarily remove the crown for resizing. Your dentist may also recommend replacing the crown.

A new dental implant may take some getting used to, but if your dental restoration is causing any jaw strain or a sense of tightness in your dental arch, please see your dentist.  

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