Can you have an MRI scan with dental implants
Titanium and titanium alloy implants are not attracted by magnets. They are not expected to shift in the strong magnetic field of a scanner, and an implant that has fused with bone sits firmly in the jaw anyway. For that reason dental implants rarely stand in the way of an MRI scan. The final judgement still belongs to the radiology team, who know the machine and the settings being used.
The real issue is distortion, not danger
Metal disturbs the signal a scanner reads from the tissue around it. On the image this shows up as a dark void with a warped rim, and in radiology it is called an artefact. It is not a sign of damage; it marks an area the scanner could not read. The difficulty starts when that dark patch covers something that matters, because the jaw, the floor of the mouth, the base of the tongue and the salivary glands all lie close to dental implants.
How large the distortion becomes depends on what metal is in the mouth and how much of it. A single implant screw leaves a modest mark, while metal-ceramic crowns, older bridges and fixed braces wipe out a much wider area. Scanners with a stronger field, 3 tesla for instance, leave a bigger mark than 1.5 tesla machines. Metal in the mouth usually troubles brain images very little, and neck and jaw images a great deal.
What the radiology team should be told
- Say that you have dental implants and roughly when they were placed.
- Make clear whether the tooth on top is fixed or part of a denture you take out.
- List fixed braces, retainer wires and bridges with a metal framework.
- Report other implanted devices such as a pacemaker, cochlear implant or vascular clip.
- Bring your implant card or surgical report if you have kept them.
- Find out which area is being scanned: metal matters far more for jaw and neck images.
Dentures you take out, and magnetic attachments
Any denture that comes out is removed before the scan. Some of them hold small magnets that grip the implants underneath. The magnetic field can weaken those magnets permanently, and it can also heat the denture or shift it. The small metal keeper left in the mouth is not a problem; what has to come out is the denture carrying the magnet. If you do not know whether yours has magnets, ask your dentist beforehand.
The most useful thing the radiology team can hear is which parts of your mouth are fixed and which ones come out.
What the scan feels like
An implant is not expected to hurt during a scan. Some people notice mild warmth or tingling in the mouth, which comes from the radio waves the scanner uses and usually passes quickly. If you feel clear burning, pain or pulling, tell the staff without delay rather than waiting for the scan to finish. The buzzer in your hand exists for exactly that.
When the pictures are not good enough
A scan spoilt by an artefact is not wasted. Radiology has sequences that shrink the mark left by metal, the angle of the head can be changed, and a machine with a lower field strength can be used instead. For some questions a CT scan or an ultrasound is more useful than repeating the MRI. Which route to take is decided by the radiologist, who knows what is being looked for.
Najczęściej zadawane pytania
Should I put off an MRI scan because of my implants?
Usually not. Titanium is not affected by the magnetic field, and dental implants rarely rule a scan out. The decision still rests with the team carrying it out on the day, and mentioning the implants in advance is normally enough.
Can an implant move during an MRI scan?
An implant fused with bone is not expected to move, because titanium is not attracted by magnets. What can move is a removable denture held by magnetic attachments, and that comes out of the mouth before the scan starts.
What happens if an implant covers something important on the image?
The radiology team can choose settings that reduce the mark left by metal, change the angle of your head, or move to a different method. Depending on what is being looked for, a CT scan or an ultrasound may show that area more clearly.
Are zirconia implants different?
Zirconia is a ceramic, so it does not leave the wide mark that metal does and the image around it stays cleaner. In safety terms it raises no separate problem, but it is still worth saying which material was used.
Do fixed braces cause trouble as well?
Fixed braces and retainer wires distort a far wider area than a single implant, and for head and neck scans they come up more often than implants do. Whether a wire needs removing is settled between the dentist and the radiologist, depending on the area being scanned.
What should I do if my mouth feels warm during the scan?
Mild warmth happens to some people and usually lasts a short time. If there is clear burning or pain, press the buzzer in your hand and tell the staff without delay. The scan can be stopped and the situation checked.
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Opracowanie
Papatya Dental
Ten artykuł powstaje w oparciu o doświadczenie kliniczne zespołu Papatya Dental i przed publikacją jest sprawdzany pod kątem rzetelności.
- Ostatnia aktualizacja:
- 2026-08-27
- Kontakt z redakcją:
- icerik@papatyadental.com
