Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – Rockville, MD
Ensuring Your Dental Implants Are a Permanent Solution
As impressive as dental implants are, there is still a possibility that they might encounter an issue after they’ve been placed that compromises their integrity and puts your oral health at risk. This is no reason to live in fear, though – dental implant failure is a rarity, and if it does occur, Dr. Modarres and our team are here to help. If you’re ever unsure about the health of your dental implants, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact us immediately; we’re here to get to the bottom of the issue and ensure that your implants serve your smile well for life!
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
The most common cause of dental implant failure is an infection called peri-implantitis, which occurs when bacteria invade the gum tissue surrounding the implant. Since these tissues are responsible for supporting the implant post, if they become compromised and begin deteriorating, the post itself can become loose. Normally, chronically poor oral hygiene is the cause of this condition, but other factors can contribute as well. Some other issues that may lead to dental implant failure include:
- Failed osseointegration, which is the fusion process that occurs between your implant post and jawbone during the months following the implant placement procedure.
- Physical injury or trauma that has affected the area of your mouth where your implant was placed.
- Medical conditions that interfere with the body’s ability to support dental implants, including but not limited to types of cancer or issues affecting the immune system.
Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants
Dental implant failure can normally be categorized into two types: early failure, which occurs shortly after the surgery, and late failure, which can happen anytime (even years) following osseointegration. Symptoms of early and late dental implant failure are fairly similar, though, and you should be on the lookout for signs like:
- Unusual or severe pain; while some soreness is expected after the surgery after you heal, your implants should feel like a natural part of your mouth.
- An implant feels loose, which may indicate that osseointegration was unable to occur as expected.
- Bleeding, swelling, or pus at the site of your implant – these are signs of possible infection and require immediate attention.
- Difficulty when chewing; once healed, implants should assist you with eating virtually all types of food with relative ease and no pain.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
As soon as you suspect there’s a problem with one of your dental implants, you should contact us right away and we’ll get you scheduled for an appointment. We’ll examine your mouth and implants while speaking with you about your symptoms, and then once we’ve confirmed implant failure, we’ll walk you through possible treatment options. In some cases, a deep cleaning and/or antibiotics will be needed to clear things up and get any present infection under control. In other cases, such as if the damage to the implant or surrounding tissues is severe, we may have to remove it altogether. If this is the case, though, we’ll be sure that we can fully restore your oral health before getting you a new implant.