Dental implants are an excellent way to replace missing teeth, and this is not just because they look and function exactly like the real thing. They boast a whopping 98% success rate and can last for a lifetime with proper care, making them a fantastic investment in your oral and overall health as well as your confidence. However, they can fail in rare cases. Here’s a brief guide to why dental implants fail and how that can be prevented.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
In general, dental implants fail for two reasons, those being:
- Peri-implantitis: A form of gum disease that damages the bone, this infection can loosen your dental implant. This usually results when the patient neglects to take adequate care of their teeth.
- Failed osseointegration: For dental implants to be successful, they must fuse with the surrounding bone structure of the jaw through the natural process of osseointegration. This usually happens in the early stages of the healing process, and it can result from the patient having inadequate bone mass in their jaw or due to bad habits like smoking.
How Can I Prevent Dental Implant Failure?
Luckily, there are a number of things you can do to help ensure that your implants heal properly and stay in great shape. A few of these include:
- Practice excellent oral hygiene: One of the major selling points for dental implants is that they only require the same oral hygiene routine as natural teeth. By observing a regimen of brushing, flossing, and using antibacterial mouthwash every day, you can keep gum disease and other nasty oral infections at bay.
- Kick the tobacco habit: Whether you smoke it or chew it, tobacco is absolutely terrible for your oral health. Frequent exposure to the noxious chemicals in tobacco can cause the gums to recede, which erodes the foundation of your implants. To make matters worse, nicotine causes blood vessels to constrict, making it harder for your gums to heal and fight infections after surgery.
- Don’t use your teeth as tools: Your teeth are designed for smiling and chewing, and using them for anything else can seriously damage them as well as your dental implants. Avoid using your teeth to open packages or bottles or to hold on to random objects. Refrain from chewing on non-food items like paperclips, writing utensils, and ice.
How Can Dental Implant Failure Be Treated?
The best way to treat dental implant failure depends on why the implant is failing and how soon the problem is caught. Peri-implantitis can sometimes be treated by improving your oral hygiene routine, but it may also require the intervention of a trained dentist. Failed osseointegration usually requires the implant to be removed, but you may be able to replace it after receiving bone grafts in your jaw.
While dental implant failure is quite rare, being aware of what can cause it can help you keep them working well and looking great. If you are worried that your implant is failing, talking to your dentist about the issue can put you on the path to resolving the problem.
About the Author
Dr. Shahram Modarres earned his dental doctorate at the New York University School of Dentistry and has completed countless hours of continuing education to stay on top of the latest developments in the field. He is proud to be a member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. His office in Rockville, MD offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as dental implant services. To learn more about caring for your dental implants, contact his office online or dial (301) 816-9400.