Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – Indian Land, SC
Helping Your Restored Smile Stay Full
While dental implants tend to succeed, they can still fail early in some cases. That dilemma risks your restored smile when it goes unchecked for too long. Thankfully, our office is ready to help with your failed dental implant in Indian Land. All you need to do is visit us for a salvage treatment to keep your grin full and safe. Please keep reading to learn more about it, or book an in-person visit soon.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
Dental implants can fail for varied reasons, but the causes can be (roughly) divided into two categories. The first is peri-implantitis, while the second consists of the other “rare” factors.
Most dental implant failures stem from peri-implantitis – a gum infection that results from poor oral care. When this problem occurs, bacteria can inflame the tissues and bone around an implant post. The inflammation then erodes your gums and jaw, loosening your implant and reducing its support.
As for the other (potential) causes of implant failure, they’re a bit rarer. They include:
- Failed implant fusion (i.e., the implant and jaw don’t fuse correctly)
- Physical trauma (i.e., a bodily injury or accident, etc.)
- Medical problems that weaken the immune system (i.e., diabetes, cancer, etc.)
Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants
Dental implants can fail at any time, so you’ll want to stay vigilant. Your posts may stop working right after placement or some years after treatment. That being the case, you should watch for relevant signs and symptoms.
The most common signs of failed dental implants include:
- A Loose Dental Implant – While a loose dental implant could be an issue with the actual restoration, it can also point to implant failure.
- Difficulty Chewing – A dental implant shouldn’t make it hard for you to chew food. To that extent, struggles with chewing may mean your implant has failed.
- Severe Pain – Slight soreness after implant placement is normal, but severe pain isn’t. The latter can be a sign that your implant is failing.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
You should visit our office if you suspect dental implant failure. The earlier that issue is caught, the easier and less expensive care will be. Still, how our salvage goes will depend on you. Drs. Candon and Carver must why your implant failed before they can help. From there, they’ll suggest possible treatment options.
For instance, say your dental implant failed from peri-implantitis. Our team may not even need to remove the implant from your mouth. Instead, we could perform other procedures – gum cleaning, root scaling and planing, etc. We could also give you a bone graft to further support your post’s underlying tissue.
In contrast, we’d have to remove your implant if it fails from poor fusion or facial trauma. We could then set or place a new one when your mouth heals.