Dental implants rarely fail. Dental Implant surgery has a 98% success rate. With proper aftercare, good dental hygiene, and healthy eating habits, the chances of your dental implant failing are slim to none.
They do fail occasionally however, and it important to address a failing implant as soon as possible in order to avoid more serious consequences in the future.
What Causes a Dental Implant to Fail?
Some people may experience an early implant rejection. Occasionally the body will resist the insertion of a foreign substance, such as the metal of an implant. This can lead to pain or infection. This typically happens soon after the surgery when the gums and tissues are still sensitive and unhealed. You should call your implant specialist immediately at the first sign of unexplained pain, or if you feel your mouth might be infected.
A late implant rejection can occur further down the road of healing time. The bite may be uneven, causing unnecessary wear and tear on the rest of your teeth or jaw. That issue takes longer to detect since you won’t notice any pain right away. Always be mindful and diligent about caring for your mouth and gums, and report anything unusual as soon as possible.
It is very important to practice good dental hygiene in every step of your recovery process. Even after years of success, an implant may fail as a result of poor dental hygiene. You may have a “fake” tooth, but your mouth and gums are still very much your own, and they need to be healthy and strong in order to support your dental implant.
A bone graft is sometimes necessary for the insertion point of dental implants, and they provide another potential issue for implant failure. The bone graft can be misplaced, leading to implant failure. We provide advanced 3D cone beam technology, allowing us to avoid this issue. If you have any concerns about your bone graft, either before or after the implant surgery, talk to your specialist immediately.
Many of my patients come to me with failing older implants. The technology for dental implants has come a very long ways in a short period of time, and these older implants simply didn’t have the technological advantages that we have today in order to be successful. If you have an older implant, and are experiencing any pain or difficulties with it, please talk to your specialist so that the issue can be addressed and resolved before further complications arise.
Signs of Dental Implant Failure
If you are experiencing any discomfort or pain at the site of your dental implant, see your implant provider right away! Ignoring signs of infection can cause further damage, as well as expense and hassle.
If your implant feels loose, let your provider know right away. If you have any bleeding in your gums, even if it’s very minimal, you may be experiencing implant failure.
It is crucial that you address these signs of implant failure as soon as possible. Pain or bleeding should not be occurring, and ignoring these symptoms may cause you more pain and expense in the long run.
Can My Failing Implant Be Fixed?
Your failing implant is definitely not a lost cause! I have repaired many implant failures in my career, and gotten many people back on the road to oral health.
Dental implants are my specialty and passion- I’ve built my practice around them. I am one pf the top implant providers in the area, and I am always working to further my education. We provide sedation dentistry for those who suffer dental phobia, and I use some of the best technology available for dental implants.
If you think you may have a failing dental implant, give us a call today! We offer free consultations, and we provide care to patients all over the Greater Bay Area, including San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Altos and Mountain View. Don’t wait another day to get your implant back in tip top shape!
