Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – Bloomfield, CT
Preserving Your
Restored Smile
Dental implants boast an astonishingly high success rate of over 95%. However, complications do arise sometimes, leading to a failed dental implant in Bloomfield. If you ever suspect that something is wrong with your restored smile, do not hesitate to seek treatment. Our in-house team of experts will do all we can to address the issue and get your oral health — and the health of your dental implants — back on track.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
Peri-implantitis is the most common cause of dental implant failure. It is an infection that occurs when harmful bacteria attack the gums and bones around an implant. Eventually, it can become so severe that the jaw is no longer able to support the implant. Poor oral hygiene is often a major contributing factor to peri-implantitis.
Other reasons why a dental implant might fail include:
- Physical trauma. An accident or long-term teeth grinding might damage the implants or the tissues that support them.
- Medical conditions. Certain types of cancer and autoimmune disease might interfere with the implants’ prospects.
- Failed osseointegration. An implant may never bond properly with the surrounding tissue.
Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants
Dental implants in Bloomfield can fail at any time. Early failure occurs shortly after the initial placement surgery, while late failure can happen months, years, or even decades later. You should always be on the lookout for signs that something is amiss with your implants. Some common symptoms of failure include:
- After an initial healing period, your implants should feel natural and comfortable in your mouth. Severe, prolonged, and unusual pain are big red flags.
- Difficulty chewing. Your implants should be able to handle virtually any food with ease. Problems in this area merit a visit to the dentist.
- A loose-feeling implant. In some cases, a loose-feeling implant is a problem with the implant’s restoration (crown, bridge, or denture) rather than the implant itself. However, it is still vital that you see a dentist who can properly diagnose the problem.
- Signs of infection. Gum recession, bleeding gums, pus, and other signs of infection around an implant call for immediate treatment.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
If you ever suspect there is a problem with one of your dental implants, you should seek treatment right away. The sooner we are able to diagnose and address the problem, the more likely it is that we will be able to prevent your implant from failing altogether. We may also be able to use more conservative, less costly treatments.
In some cases, we can save an implant through antibiotics and some oral hygiene coaching. However, if the damage to your implant or the oral tissues is severe, you may have to undergo a surgery to remove the implant. Then, after a healing period and further restorative treatments (perhaps including a bone graft), it might be possible to insert an entirely new implant. We will provide you with guidance on how to minimize the risk that you will have to deal with another failed implant in the future.