Dental Implant Failure & Salvage
Saving Your Restored Smile
Dental implants are a consistently successful treatment; they thrive in more than 95% of cases. Unfortunately, though, a failed dental implant in Chelsea is always at least a small possibility. If you ever suspect that something is not quite right with your prosthetic teeth, call Healthy Smiles Dental Care right away. We will evaluate the problem and recommend your next steps. Our goal is to get your oral health back on track and allow you to continue enjoying the benefits of your restored smile.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
The most common cause of dental implant failure is peri-implantitis, an infection that attacks the tissue around an implant. Eventually, it can cause so much damage that the bone is no longer capable of supporting the implant. In many cases, poor oral hygiene is a major contributing factor to this condition.
Other possible causes of failed dental implants in Chelsea include:
- Underlying medical conditions
- Physical trauma
- Failed osseointegration (the implants never properly bond with the surrounding bone)
Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants
Dental implant failure can occur at any time, whether it is soon after the placement surgery or many years later. Therefore, you should always be on the lookout for the following symptoms:
- Difficulty chewing. After you adapt to using your new teeth, it should be easy to eat virtually any food. Difficulty in this area indicates the need to visit a qualified dentist.
- A loose-feeling implant. In some cases, this is a problem with the restoration on top of an implant. In other cases, the implant itself requires attention.
- Signs of infection. Pus, bleeding, redness, swelling, and gum recession are all possible signs of peri-implantitis and should be addressed ASAP.
- Some discomfort is normal after implant placement surgery. However, prolonged or unusual pain may be a sign of a failing dental implant.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
As soon as you believe something is amiss with your implants, call us to schedule an appointment. The earlier you receive treatment, the more likely it is that we will be able to correct the problem without complex or extensive treatment.
When you arrive for your appointment, we will perform a visual examination and use imaging equipment to get a look beneath your gumline. After we diagnose the problem, we will advise you on what should be done next. In some cases, we can reverse a mild infection with antibiotics. If your restoration is damage, we may be able to replace it quite easily.
Of course, there is always the possibility that we will have to remove a failing implant altogether. Depending on the circumstances, we might be able to place a new implant right away. It is more likely, though, that you will require a healing period before you are able to once again enjoy dental implants.