Dental Implant Salvage – Jacksonville, FL

Reasons for Implant Failure

There are a number of reasons why dental implants may fail, including:

• A hard impact to the mouth, habitual grinding and clenching of the teeth, or other forms of physical trauma may damage the implant’s restoration, the implant itself, or the tissue that supports the implant.
• Peri-implant mucositis is infection that attacks the gum tissue around a dental implant. Its symptoms are similar to gum disease. It can eventually worsen and become peri-implantitis, which eats away at the bone and compromises the implant’s base of support. Smoking, poor oral hygiene, medical conditions that affect the immune system, and other factors can all greatly increase an individual’s risk of developing peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis.
• Failed osseointegration. If a dental implant fails soon after it is placed, it may be because the bone did not properly fuse with it (osseointegrate). Medical conditions, inadequate bone density, tobacco use, and surgical errors can all contribute to osseointegration problems.
• Allergic reactions. Most dental implants are made out of a titanium alloy, which very few people are allergic to. However, allergic reactions do occur in extremely rare cases.

How to Save Failing Dental Implants

If you notice signs that one of your dental implants is failing — for example, if it feels loose or the gum tissue around it is red and swollen — contact our team right away. The sooner you seek help, the more likely it is that we can save your implant with a conservative, minimally invasive treatment. When you come in for your appointment, we will put our expertise and our state-of-the-art technology to work to diagnose the cause of the problem. Then, we will recommend a course of action.

In some cases, it is possible to stop an infection in its early stages and avoid surgical intervention. Antibiotics, along with an increased focus on oral hygiene, might be able to prevent an infection from worsening to the point where total implant failure occurs. We have an on-staff periodontist, Dr. Aguila, who is an expert on the gums and the conditions that affect them, including peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis.

In other cases, surgery is necessary. We may need to place new bone material around the implant to help it stay in place. We might also have to remove the implant altogether. In instances where removing the implant is necessary, it may be possible to place a new implant after the patient’s mouth has had an opportunity to heal.

Following your dental implant salvage procedure, we will provide you with personalized tips on how to minimize your risk of future issues with your dental implants.