The vast majority of patients won’t need to worry about dental implant failure. Thanks to their unique construction and how easy they are to care for, dental implants have a 95% success rate, even 10 years after placement! That being said, dental implant failure is still a remote possibility, so it’s important to know why dental implants fail and what signs to be on the lookout for. Fortunately, we may be able to save your loose or painful dental implant with dental implant salvage in Lansing if necessary. Read on to learn more, but don’t wait to give us a call if you think you are worried about your dental implant!
There are not many things that can cause dental implants to fail. The most common culprit is peri-implantitis, which is an infection in the gums around a dental implant. If the infection is left untreated, the bacteria can permanently damage the bone and connective tissue that help hold the dental implant in place, causing it to loosen and fall out. Peri-implantitis is often caused by poor oral hygiene habits, so make sure to brush and floss your teeth regularly to keep it at bay.
Less common causes of dental implant failure include sports injuries or physical accidents that involve the face or jaw, as well as some medical conditions, such as osteoporosis.
A dental implant can fail soon after its placement or many years later, so it’s important to be aware of the most common warning signs of dental implant failure, such as:
If you notice any of the warning signs above, don’t hesitate to contact us immediately. We’ll likely want to see you right away to investigate the problem. Thanks to the advanced training of our in-house implant specialists, we’ll be able to create a dental implant salvage plan for you right away. In some cases, this could include antibiotic therapy or gum disease therapy, but in severe cases, a bone graft may be necessary or the dental implant may need to be removed during your recovery. Whatever the situation, we’ll walk you through every step of the way to make sure you can regain a healthy, complete, and pain-free smile as soon as possible!