Can teeth implants result in loss of taste and numbness to the tongue?

Not if...: ...Done properly. Injury during the procedure can, of course, damage the nerve that carries the sensation.

Not done properly: The only way this can occur is if the implant is place incorrectly and it has perforated the jaw on the tongue side of the mandible. If the drill perforated the bone or the implant perforated the bone and impinges on the lingual nerve this can occur. This must be addressed asap. In rare instances this can occur from the injection butbthis should be self limiting. See your surgeon immediately.

Unlikely: If the dental implants are not placed in the correct position on the lower jaw and it injures the lingual nerve which is underneath your tongue this is a possibility. Consult with your doctor who placed the dental implants. Sometimes swelling after the implant surgery can cause this and the sensation of the tongue and taste returns quickly.

Not the implants: An anesthetic injection could possibly injure a nerve, resulting in temporary or permanent numbness, although this is rare. An implant may be so deep into the lower jaw as to interfere with the mandibular nerve, cause\ing numbness, although this is rare. Nerves of taste are not located where dental implants are placed.

Not usually: When properly placed in solid bone avoiding the inferior alveolar nerve canal, there are usually no adverse symptoms/complications. However, in the surgical approach and placement of implants in the lower jaw, there are many vital structures to contend with. These include the inferior alveolar and lingual nerves. Damage to these structures can lead to numbness of the teeth, lip, and tongue.