After your dentist tells you that one of your dental implants has failed, your first reaction will probably be panic. However, as bad as this sounds, failed implants are not uncommon and they can happen to even the most responsible patients. While it may be a bit disconcerting at first. There are several things that you can do after a failed implant in order to mitigate any negative consequences. That this might have on your oral and general health. In the paragraphs below, we will take you through three simple steps that you can take after a failed implant. Visit your implant dentist.
Assess the situation with your Dental Implant dentist
The first thing that you should do. After learning that one of your implants has failed is to assess the situation. Firstly, you will need to find out exactly what went wrong with the implant. There are several reasons why dental implants fail, but they can be categorised into the following three broad categories:
Dental implant Infection: Symptoms of dental implant infection include gums that bleed easily when brushing, tender or swollen gums around the implant and increased pocket depth around the implant.
Medical condition related to the patient: You will need to get a clear picture of the cause of the implant’s failure in order to know whether you can fix the problem with a new implant or if you need to seek medical treatment.
Start to experience severe pain or discomfort: If your gums are swollen or inflamed, or if your implant starts to become loose.
Can the implant be treated or does it need removal?
Once you have determined the cause behind the implant’s failure, your dentist can fix it. or remove it altogether. If the implant is causing an infection and is a source of pain for you, then you will want to remove it. However, if the problem is that the implant didn’t fuse properly or there is a fracture in the tooth, then you may want to get a second opinion before making the decision to remove the implant. If the implant is the source of an infection, the best thing to do is to remove it.
You will, however, want to make sure that the infection is gone before putting in a new implant. This is because the infection could spread to the adjacent teeth and gums if it is not taken care of properly. You, therefore, need to make sure that you get a thorough cleaning and that the infection is treated properly.
Get Implant Dentist second opinion
While we have discussed the reasons why dental implants fail and the options that you have for each of the reasons, it is crucial to remember that every patient is different. This means that although a certain dental implant failure reason may be obvious in your case, it may not be the same for someone else. This is why we recommend that you get a second opinion when dealing with a failed dental implant. This is especially true if you chose to treat the infection first before removing the implant. It is important to get a second opinion in this case, because even though the implant may be the source of the infection, the source of the infection could be something else.
Find out why the Implant failed
Finally, you will want to find out precisely why the dental implant failed. You might have gotten a second opinion or you may have removed the implant without treating the infection first, but there is a strong chance that you still don’t know why the implant failed. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence. The dental implant is not an everyday procedure and doctors are not always able to pinpoint the exact cause of a dental implant failure.
However, this doesn’t mean that the solution is to simply put in a new implant. If you do this, there is a chance that you will be repeating the same mistake. This is why it is important to find out why the implant failed in the first place. If you have a failed implant, you need to understand why this happened so you can prevent it from happening again.
Has the Implant Failed or Is the Crown Loose?
Not every problem with an implant-supported tooth means that the implant has failed. The crown, bridge, abutment or retaining screw may loosen or fracture while the implant remains firmly integrated with the jawbone. The dentist must examine the implant, surrounding gums, bite and prosthesis before deciding which component requires treatment.
Warning signs that require assessment include increasing mobility, persistent pain, swelling, bleeding, pus, gum recession or difficulty chewing. Clinical examination and dental X-rays or CBCT imaging may be required to evaluate the implant and supporting bone.
Early and Late Dental Implant Failure
Early failure occurs before the implant has fully integrated or before it is placed into regular function. It may be associated with inadequate stability, excessive movement during healing, infection, poor healing or surgical factors. Late failure occurs after the implant has been loaded and functioning. Possible causes include peri-implantitis, progressive bone loss, excessive bite forces, prosthetic complications or implant fracture. Identifying whether the problem is early, biological or mechanical helps determine the correct treatment.
Can a Failed Implant Be Saved?
Treatment depends on the underlying problem. A loose crown or abutment screw may be tightened, repaired or replaced without removing the implant. Inflammation limited to the gum tissue around an otherwise stable implant may be managed through professional cleaning, improved plaque control and correction of local risk factors.
When progressive bone loss or peri-implantitis is present, treatment may require deeper cleaning, surface decontamination and surgical access in selected cases. However, treatment outcomes vary, and severely mobile, fractured or poorly positioned implants with advanced bone loss may need removal.
Can a Removed Dental Implant Be Replaced?
A removed implant can often be replaced, but not always immediately. The dentist must first assess why the original implant failed and whether sufficient healthy bone and soft tissue remain.
Depending on the condition of the site, treatment may involve cleaning the area, allowing it to heal, rebuilding lost bone or selecting a different implant position, size or prosthetic design. In selected situations, replacement may be performed during the same procedure; in others, healing is required before another implant is considered.
Repeating the same treatment without identifying the original cause may increase the risk of another complication.
Conclusion
Your dentist can often treat implants by cleaning the implant site and removing infected tissue. In cases where insufficient jawbone tissue led to implant failure, you will likely need a bone graft before your dentist can replace the post.
FAQs
Can an infected dental implant be treated without removal?
Sometimes. Early inflammation or limited peri-implant disease around a stable implant may be treated through professional cleaning, improved hygiene and management of contributing factors. Removal may be necessary when there is severe bone loss, persistent infection, implant mobility or an implant that cannot be predictably maintained.
Does a loose implant crown mean the implant has failed?
No. The crown, bridge or abutment screw may be loose while the implant inside the bone remains stable. The restoration should be examined promptly to prevent further damage.
Is a mobile dental implant always removed?
Mobility of the implant body usually suggests loss of integration or insufficient bone support and often requires removal. The dentist must first confirm that the movement is from the implant itself and not from the crown or abutment.
How long should I wait before replacing a failed implant?
There is no single waiting period. Replacement timing depends on infection, bone loss, gum condition and whether grafting is required. Some sites may be treated immediately, while others need several months of healing.
Can the same implant be placed back after removal?
Generally, a removed implant is not reused. A new sterile implant is selected after the site has been assessed and prepared appropriately.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for patient education only. Dental treatment should be planned after clinical examination, medical history review, and X-rays or scans where required. Treatment suitability, cost, timeline, healing, and results vary from patient to patient.
