Titanium Dental implant

[catdrisc44]

I had a titanium dental implant over a year ago and now suffer from dermatitis around my mouth witch has spread to my chin, and eczema on my hands and know in my nose!  I have muscle aches and suffer from fatigue. I had a blood test done through the Melisa Institute and showed a 3.50 in sensitivity to titanium trichloride, the recommendation is to have the metal removed, except no one wants to touch it, because it is a front tooth!  I am 39yrs. old and recently married and wanted to start a family but for one thing do not physically feel well enough and am afraid of the effects this allergy could have an a child, I know MS and Autism are linked to this metal allergy!  If we can clone animals how come I can't find an oral surgen willing to remove my implant!!!!  Any suggestions Am am so tired and frustrated!

[margypops]

Read the thread above, I am wondering if this is my problem as I had similar dental work done in May Have had Chronic Hives since, I didnt know if it was the Penicillin or the Numbing agent they used or the Trauma,it was horriby painful and went wrong,I will put this into my search engine ,can you message me anything more you have found out.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Titanium which is a bioactive metal is capable of tricking the body into believing that the implant is a tooth.  Because of this the bone bonds to the implant as though it were the root of a tooth.  When the implant moves after it is placed, the body recognizes it as a foreign object and rejects it.This causes an allergic reaction to the implant.
http://www.lvimplant.com/Page18.html
But true allergy to titanium is rare.When titanium is combined with other metals like nickel,then allergy can take place as nickel is a  common sensitizer.

Diagnosis is done by skin patch test or blood tests for allergy. MELISA (Memory Lymphocyte Immunostimulation Assay) test is a blood test that is confirmatory for metal allergy.

I sincerely advise you to consult your dentist who had put the implants and ask him to remove them.If he is not willing then other dentists should be tried.

I hope it helps.Take care and regards.

[Serbin]

I had implant 2 months ago.  Joine pain, now very painful headache in temples has followed.  Melisa test done.  Mild allergy to titanium.  Carefully weighing my options
My implant surgeon is on my side whatever I want to do.
He said he can remove the implant.  Not easy or what he wants to do, but definitely
can do it for me.   I will have a hole afterwards (front tooth) and will need a bone graft.

It is the only explanation we can find for having these headaches.  

This is an awful situation to be in, since my implant procedure went very well.

Let me know the details of your situation and the symptoms you are experiencing.

Hopefully, together, we can all get enough pieces of the titanium puzzle to get us all feeling better.

[Serbin]

Please write back to me and bring me up to date on your condition.
I am very much interested in how things have progressed.
I am just miserable with joint and muscle pain since dental implant was put in
sept. 2009.

Please get back to me as soon as you can.

Hope you are doing much better now.

Maryann

[MJO1959]

I too had an implant, had a metalic taste that lead to sever pain and swelling in my feet and joints.  I have seen many doctors and have been sent to Mayo, all telling me I have RA symptoms, not allergy to titanium because it is virtually impossible.  Yesterday, I had implant removed, implant had not adhered to bone, which is conclusive that my body had rejected implant.  Does anyone know how long it takes for symptoms to improve after titanium is removed? I am searching for help and knowledge!! MJ

[Serbin]

Please stay in touch with me...610-2798499  you can dial that.

I had my implant in Sept and have to make a decision to remove or keep.
Having pain in all my joints, ringing in ears...that we don't know if it is from asprin or
titanium.  I only tested miled allergy to titanium when Melissa did my blood test.

My removal will be a lot worse since the bone has already adhered to the implant.

I am near the Philadelphia area.  And have found a very qualified surgeon to remove
my implant.  He has done many of these, so he is not knew at it. And is able to talk
intelligently with you if you need advice on removal of implant.  So if there is anyone else out there who needs information on this I will help out with any information I can give you.

Was told by this surgeon that in the cases he has worked on 50% have improved.
He didn't mention a time line.  But I have heard of cases myself that the improvement happens relatively soon after removal.  

Good luck, looking forward to hearing that you are doing very well.  Please keep me posted.  Your information and results could help many of us out here deciding what steps to take next.

Maryann

[MJO1959]

Hi,
I received your message.  I would definitely go through with the removal.  I am feeling about 30% better already, hard to measure, but it has only been one week.  My feet swelling is virtually gone, still have achy joints, not as severe.  I am looking forward to the next month, I have hope. I continue to research this mystery and wonder why so many medical professionals have been so difficult with this titanium allergy issue.  Keep in touch and good luck! MJO

[Graceacupuncture1848]

Dear Maryann,

Thank you so much for the info you put here. I have same situation with you that I need to have my implant removed. The implant was put in one and half year ago, it intergrated well with bone, but I have been suffering so many dull pain, fatigue and other symptoms. I really want to know if the risk of damaging my two  neighboring teeth is high when the surgeon remove my implant. Any suggestions will help!

Grace

[dsasso]

I just had 2 titanium implants put in on Friday (5/14/10) and saturday I came down with this fever that would just come and go all weekend.  It was strange because it could be 102.5 at 8pm and 95.5 an hour later, then back up again to 101.9.  I called oral surgeon and he felt it was an unrelated virus.  Over the course of the weekend, I got this terrible joint pain and extreme diarrhea.  Today I went to see my doctor and I was too dehydrated for the blood tests.  They told me to come back after drinking pedialyte and gatorade for 24hrs.  He told me that he didn't think this was an allergy to the titanium since there doesn't appear to be any kind of rash in the mouth.  I'm just scared that this is all related and they won't find out in time.  I have an allergy to metals found in cheap jewelry...never got tested, just broken out in rashes before.  I see a Rheumatologist for anemia and b12 shots.  Just don't know what i should do here.  would hate to let the implants fuse to the bone just to find out they were always to blame for making me sick.  Any advice/comments?

[jerandi]

The oral surgeon kept saying "there is no scientific studies that have been done ..." when we talk about taking out the dental implants.  From what I have read on these multiple allergy to titanium posts -- regardless of dental, knee - it is clear most of us are suffering the same symptoms.  We all may not be in a clinical study - but hello doctors - we are getting together in this forum.

[bjpjb]

Hi, everyone. I am not sure if it is related, but here is my story.

I first got the first piece of the titanium implant in Mid 2005. The whole process installing the implant lasted about 1 yr. So, it's done in Mid 2006 and I got the implant on my right front tooth. Ever since it's done, I had had mild inflammation in front gum just above the crown. Talked to dentist but he only prescribed oral antibiotics but it didn't help. Then i thought it's no big deal and didn't pay attention to it. The gum color was just dark or at worst swelled sometimes.

Then I put on dental brace because I wanted to fix alignment of molar teeth behind. The dentist who put the dental brace said it won't interfere with the implant as he wouldn't apply force on the implant, so I agree to go through the procedure for 1yr+ (Nov 2007 - Feb 2009). The gum inflammation got worse so I decided to take out the dental brace and really get the gum problem solved. There seemed to be infection there (no lab test though), and there was a bone loss at the tooth pocket due to the chronic inflammation. The dentist who cured my gum injected antiseptic solution to clean it, and the gum is normal now. The implant is still well attached to remaining bone.

I remember having very mild joint pain at foot fingers or hand fingers, since the first piece was installed, but I thought it's unrelated - it was not like everyday pain.

Here comes the worst. In late Jun 2008 I had right ear cartilage inflammation. Been seeing 2-3 doctors. No doctor thought it's this rare auto-immune disease called Relapsing Polychondritis (RP), not until late Sep 2008. So, after the last ENT dr's diagnosis that I had RP, I was sent to Rheumatologist since then have been taking immunosuppressive drugs. Until now, I would have very little joint pain (but more painful than I first got the implant) everytime I work out. I lost my right ear cartilage.

The implant is still not removed as all doctors and dentists said similar things, "no scientific proof of relationship between the implant complication and auto-immune disease." But after seeing everyone story here, I am deciding to remove it again if it will help.

Here are my final thoughts:
- If I could choose what to do again, I would first do the MELISA test before getting the implant done.
- If the results show no allergy, I would go for the implant.
- After implant, observe my health carefully. If I have any bad symptoms like joint pain, etc, go for the allergic test again.
- If now my body rejects those material it didn't earlier, I would remove my implant and would not wait until my whole immune system gone crazy, and start attacking own body like cartilage in joints, etc. Some said once it's gone crazy, there is no return to normal. It's like having vaccine to change your immune system. I hope it's not true.

Sorry for a long post. But I hope my story will make everyone be more cautious about having this implant done.

Let's keep in touch,
**

[lorainbo]

Is a titanium/porcelan crown different from these implants you are talking about?

[mymissingtooth]

Similar story. I got implant on one of my front teeth placed about a month ago (8-15-2010,) still haven't received the crown. Ever since the operation I have had hives pop up randomly all over my body and itch like CRAZY for about 10-15minutes. My skin will get inflamed itches non-stop. Then 15 minutes later the itch is gone and its as if it never happened. It wakes me up in the middle of the night constantly and is driving me crazy. No matter how hard i try i cannot ignor it. I got my blood taken today for the MELISA test and will come back to this post with the results.

This has never happened to me before. At first I thought it was the penicillin but I have been off that for 3+weeks now. My oral surgeon said neither he nor any of his 3 partners in the practice have ever had an allergic reaction to the implants. The company that manufactures the implant I got is Nobel. Maybe people should start posting manufacturers names to see if there is any correlation. Ask your dentist.

Good Luck to everyone,

Jack

[mark514]

I too had a Titanium implant in June of 2010, ever since I suffered all the symptoms described above, joint pain, eczema, headaches, fatigue, etc... it was basically my immune system fighting itself.....I have never experienced any of these before and I am 50 years old.  I was tested for so many diseases including HIV and all came up Negative...  it took me two months to finally realize that these symptoms started after the implant.  no doctor or dentist or even the oral surgeon would believe me, saying it's very rare.  I had it removed two months ago and I am feeling 80% better except for some joint pain once in a while.  my doctor said that it may take 3 months or more to feel a 100%.

I hope this helps.

Good luck

[KFB818]

Join the "titanium/vanadium/aluminum dental implant" thread.  It's an active group of people having trouble with titanium.

[mymissingtooth]

I got my implant removed and about 3-4weeks later my hives have almost completely gone away. At first they were still just as vexing, but after a few weeks i noticed them not popping up as often and that I was able to sleep through the night.

If you have the option, and went through as much discomfort as I did, I would highly recommend getting the implant removed.

Good Luck.

PS: MELISA test came up negative for metal allergies, but in the end the allergies started a few weeks after receiving the implant and were gone a month after removing the implant. Sometimes its better to listen to your body and not the "doctor." I was fortunate enough to have a very sympathetic Oral Surgeon.

Jack.

[maryprince136]

I had the MELISA test and tested positive to nickle and titanium DICHLORIDE but was negative to titanium DICHLORIDE and zirconia.  I would therefore like a dental implant that's T. Dichloride/ zirconium, but I hear that the latter cracks and breaks.  I just want my pretty smile back and don't want a bridge.  Any advice???!

[maryprince136]

sorry , I meant that I tested positive to titanium DICHLORIDE but was negative to titanium TRICHCLORIDE

[scarpia]

I have found those blood tests are not very accurate. I didn't do the MELISA. I had it done at two companies in Colorado. The tests didn't match. A second test I had done at the same lab a year later didn't match the first one. No test showed that I was allergic to acrylic even though I know I am allergic to acrylic.

[Wardy101]

I developed several food allergies and candida about five months after my implant.  I am not sure if they are related.  I have changed my diet drastically. I cannot eat dairy, sugar or wheat.  I am now faced with loosing another tooth and I am not sure what to do.

[scarpia]

Unfortunately the best way to test for allergies is by eliminating the suspected allergen. That would mean having your titanium implant out and seeing if you get better. You will probably have a hard time getting someone to do that. I had a hard time getting a dentist to remove my veneers when I was having an allergic reaction to the cement. Most said it wasn't possible and I didn't want to go through all that work.

[frosty1948]

I had three implants done last year.  Very painful.  A month ago, one
of them broke.  I mean it snapped right into and stuck inside my denture
plate.  I called my dentist. He met me early the next morning at his office.
He wants to leave the base of it in my bone.  Then he wants to put another one in my mouth.  Not sure I can go through the pain again.  But, after it broke, my mouth and area around my mouth got very chapped.  Then my nose broke out in bumps and scales.  Now, my chin is broke out.  Think I could be allergic to the titanium since it broke and it is getting into my system.  I am so tired all the time.  Don't have any energy.  Does anyone
have one that broke?

[dawn852]

I have severe food allergies, lost 20 lbs. in a few months and had lots of yeast for the past few years. I have two titanium implants and had some old mercury amalgam fillings. I finally found out that I have mercury toxcity even though it didn't show up on tests 3 years ago. I am having chelation therapy done and have had 5 treatments so far and I feel, much, much better. Do you have any silver fillings in your mouth? This could be the problem. I highly recommend chelation therapy. Hope this helps.

[AbsoluteBeginner]

I am joining the club as well. My implant is well integrated, however, so I am looking for the best surgeon out there and with experience, which seems rare. One honest dentist openly admitted he had done it only once. They all raise eyebrows for why I would remove it. Anyway.

If you can help me with advice on the best way to remove it (there are different approaches - trephine, electro, unscrew it if possible, etc.) and the right surgeon, that would be great. I live in Europe. You have already given me hope.