If you want a highly versatile, comprehensive, and extremely successful method for replacing a missing tooth, then dental implants might be the option for you. However, even though this procedure has a high chance of working and the results can last a lifetime with proper care, failure can still occur under certain circumstances. To help you be prepared for anything, our team wants you to understand how this can happen, the common symptoms of a failed post, and how we can help you save your dental implant with salvage treatment. Feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or concerns about your dental implant, and we’ll be more than happy to help!
Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – Mangum, OK
Returning Your Newly Rebuilt Tooth to Health
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
Perhaps the biggest culprit of dental implant failure is peri-implantitis—an infection in the surrounding gums and connective tissues holding the metal post in place. This happens when harmful germs begin to collect around your implant and damage the tissues around it. If left unchecked, this can result in your gums and jawbone weakening and losing their capacity to support your new roots. While various factors play a role in peri-implantitis, the common cause of it is poor oral hygiene.
Your dental implants can also fail because of improper osseointegration, as the bone tissue may not fuse completely with the metal posts. Other causes may involve physical accidents and medical systemic conditions, such as cancer.
Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants
Dental implants can potentially fail whether you recently received them or you’ve had them for several years already. To know if they're failing, you’ll want your dentist to evaluate them during a visit. In the meantime, here are a few symptoms to watch out for:
- Loose implant: If you feel your new tooth is loose, it could either be due to the restoration itself or the post is starting to come out of the jawbone.
- Strange or severe discomfort: Though you might feel mildly sore after your surgery, you should feel natural and comfortable once you’ve recovered.
- Swelling and bleeding: Any signs of bleeding, inflammation, and/or pus may indicate an infection around your implants, which will need to be addressed as soon as possible.
- Trouble eating: You should be able to eat comfortably and properly once your dental implants are healed.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
If you suspect something is wrong with your dental implant, visit our team so we can help. We’ll assess your mouth, understand your situation, and review your options for preserving your new tooth. This might involve deep dental cleaning, antibiotics, and/or various methods for controlling infections, such as periodontal therapy. Whatever the case, the sooner we can address the problem, the more likely we’ll be able to preserve your dental implant! If necessary, we may have to extract it, treat the underlying issue, and then discuss your tooth replacement option.