In today’s world, it’s hard not to imagine the worst-case scenario—broadcast news and social media certainly aren’t helping! If you’re one of the millions of Americans with dental implants, it’s perfectly natural to worry about them failing despite their 95% success rate and 30+ year average lifespan. But even if that happens, the process to get it fixed is fairly straightforward and reliable—learning how it works should calm some of those errant thoughts.
Step 1: Identifying Implant Failure
Dental implant failure means that the new tooth root has NOT formed a strong enough bond with the surrounding jawbone. This can happen for many reasons, with the most common being infection in the area, an oral injury disrupted healing, the implant was placed incorrectly, or the bone isn’t thick enough to offer enough support.
Sometimes immediately and sometimes years after the surgery, a patient may begin to notice that their new tooth feels loose or sore and appears irritated. Rather than ignoring it, it’s wise for them to contact their dentist and have it examined. A visual screening and X-rays will make it very clear if an implant is failing.
Step 2: Removing the Implant
This will involve removing a very, very thin band of bone around the implant so it can be taken out. Usually, this casing is only about .5 to 1mm thick, which is about the same as a contact lens.
The goal is to preserve as much bone as possible so it will be able to hold a new implant in the near future. While the post is out, a patient may need to undergo periodontal therapy to disinfect the gums and bone or receive a graft to strengthen the area. In most cases, a temporary tooth can be placed to fill the gap.
Step 3: Replacing the Replacement
After the treatment area has healed, the patient will undergo the implant placement surgery once again. This will be preceded by advanced imaging to ensure the bone is ready and the gums are free of infection.
Just like before, the implant will become attached to the surrounding jawbone over the next three to six months, during which the patient will attend check-in appointments so their dentist can make sure everything goes smoothly.
While a failing dental implant is certainly frustrating, it isn’t the end of the world or your renewed smile. And, by keeping up with your routine checkups and cleanings each year, your dentist can stop many of the small issues that could lead to implant failure down the line.
About the Author
A staple in the Massapequa Park community for four decades, Dr. Allan Mohr is one of the leading implant and cosmetic dentists in the country. On top of helping thousands of patients over the years, he is also an in-demand speaker, educator, and trainer with 3,000+ hours of continuing education under his belt. His philosophy is to give his patients exactly what they want so they are overjoyed with their results.
You can see a few examples of Dr. Mohr’s smile transformations with dental implants here, and if you’re worried about your new tooth, just click here to schedule an appointment or call (516)541-7344.