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Let’s talk about risk.
If you’re thinking about dental implants, you’ve probably been through a lot already. Maybe you’ve lived with tooth pain for years. Maybe you've tried patchwork fixes—crowns, root canals, partials—only for them to fail one by one. Maybe you're here because you're tired of hiding your smile, avoiding social situations, or dreading what the dentist might say next.
Many people in this situation put off getting a permanent solution due to dental anxiety or fear of the unknown. However, as a prosthodontist who’s placed thousands of dental implants, I want to walk you through the real risks, the myths, and the truth behind what makes dental implants not only safe, but life-changing—especially when done right.
The Real Risks You’re Worried About
Let’s be honest—you're not scared of implants. You're scared of going through all this and having it fail.
Here are the most common concerns I hear from patients:
- What if the implant fails?
- What if I wake up in pain—or worse, something goes wrong during sedation?
- What if I end up with fake-looking teeth?
- What if I spend all this money, and it breaks or has to be redone?
These are valid questions. So let me walk you through what we do at Nuvia to protect you from those outcomes.
Are Dental Implants Safe?
Yes. In fact, dental implants have one of the highest success rates in modern dentistry: around 97–98% across the industry. At Nuvia, our success rate is even higher—99.13%. That’s not a fluke. It’s the result of a process that’s been fine-tuned with one goal: your safety.
But safety depends on more than just the procedure itself. It depends on the team doing it. That’s why every Nuvia center has the following team members:
- An oral surgeon or prosthodontist who has trained for three plus years beyond dental school
- A CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) who handles your sedation and monitors your vitals
- A restorative doctor who ensures your new smile fits, functions, and is designed to last with proper care.
- An in-house lab that begins designing your permanent teeth before your surgery even begins
The Nuvia teams are highly trained experts in their field working in a well co-ordinated manner to ensure patients are getting the highest quality treatment and prosthetics.
Risk of Failure: The Problem With Temporary Teeth
Some dental centers offer what's called a “conversion denture.” It’s a set of temporary teeth placed right after surgery, made of acrylic, which is essentially a hard plastic. This process is often called “Teeth in a day ®” and although it sounds convenient, here’s the actual truth:
Plastic bends: When it flexes, it can cause micro-movements around the implant.
Movement increases risk of failure: During the healing phase, this is especially important to be aware of. Osseotintegration is the process of the implant fusing with your bone but it can be disturbed by micro-movements.
Breakage is common: These temps (or healing teeth) often break and/or crack, which can be very embarrassing and inconvenient to repair. Plus, there is additional stress on the implants during the critical healing process.
At Nuvia, we don’t do conversion dentures (temporary teeth). Instead, you receive your permanent zirconia teeth just 24 hours after dental implant surgery.
What If the Implant Fails?
Nothing in this world is 100% perfect. Implant failure can happen but it is important to know that Nuvia offers a warranty. Your team will properly diagnose implant failures to understand why it happened, then create a plan to ensure they can safely place a new implant.
A critical part of long-term dental implant health is following the at home instructions. It is also very important to stick to the soft food diet for at least the first few months to ensure the implants are not overloaded too soon.
In addition, smoking, poor oral hygiene, and not wearing the mouth guard are several other reasons why implants can fail.
Risk of Gaps or Poor Fit - What is There’s a Gap After Everything Heals?
A very common question is “If I get my teeth 24 hours after surgery, won’t the swelling mess up the fit?” What about the gap after everything heals?"
Nuvia’s design process takes into account the swelling to ensure your new teeth will go on with minimal discomfort. We also schedule follow-up appointments to ensure everything is healing well.
Approximately four months after surgery, we evaluate any tissue gaps/fit issues and have our team make adjustments to ensure a properly fitting prosthetic at no extra cost.
Can I Still Get Dental Implants If I Have Health Issues?
In most cases, yes.
We’ve safely treated patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, past drug use, and severe bone loss. What matters most is that we know your full medical history to ensure we can provide high quality care. We will also coordinate with your other medical providers to ensure we are all on the same page prior to surgery.
We will inform you whether or not you are a good candidate after reviewing all the pertinent information.
If for any reason you’re not a candidate, we will let you know the reasons why, but also, provide you with alternative treatment options that would be ideal for your situation. Whether it's with Nuvia or elsewhere, our main goal is to help you find the best option to achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.
Are Dental Implants Really Worth It?
Yes they are worth it.
Everyday I see patients hide their mouth with their hands, hold their laughter in, or smile without opening their mouth. We also get patients that try to hide behind their beards or use a lot of make-up as a way to distract attention away from their teeth.
It is only after this procedure do we see their true personality shine through. To be able to talk and smile confidently makes it all worth it.
Risk of Doing Nothing
Fear can be a big reason why patients delay getting their teeth fixed but the risk of doing nothing is significant. Failing and missing teeth can have a significant impact on oral and overall health. Risks of doing nothing include:
- Bone loss and a sunken facial appearance.
- Infections in the mouth that spread through the bloodstream and potentially cause chronic pain.
- Difficulty chewing and thus a poor diet.
- There is also a risk of decreased confidence.
If you’ve been putting off fixing your teeth because of fear, let me remind you: the risks of not doing something may be bigger than the risks of moving forward.
And if you want to see if you might be a candidate for this life-changing procedure, take the 60-second quiz.
There is no better day than today to start your dental journey towards a new confident smile!
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