At Harrell Dental Implant Center, we want our patients to be partners in their care. The only way that can happen is if they’re fully informed about the procedures involved in their treatment — the positives and any potential negatives. This is as true for dental implant therapy as any other treatment. Despite the overwhelming success rate for implants, problems can still arise — especially if there are harmful factors working against the success of your treatment. For this blog post, let’s take a closer look at why implants can fail and specifically address some of the major causes for failure of dental implants.
To begin, learn more about some of the key factors behind implant failure:
What to Know About Dental Implant Complications and Failure
What factors impact dental implant success?
Numerous factors can affect the success of a dental implant. These include:
Gum disease
Healthy gums are a criteria for dental implant surgery, and you can’t have this procedure with active gum disease.
Gum disease is an infection that can damage the gums and jaw bone. An untreated infection could develop around the implant and lead to failure. See a dentist to treat gum disease before getting an implant.
Smoking
Smoking can also cause dental implant failure because it restricts blood flow to the gums, slowing the healing process. Multiple research studies show that smokers can have a dental implant failure rate up to 20 percent.
Being a smoker doesn’t mean that you’re ineligible for a dental implant. However, you may have a better outcome if you stop smoking one week prior to a dental implant and if you don’t smoke for at least two months after implant placement.
Insufficient jaw bone
A successful procedure is also dependent on sufficient bone to support the implant. Without enough healthy bone, the surgeon cannot surgically place the implant into your jaw.
Bone loss can happen with osteoporosis. This condition develops when bone density decreases. Bones become fragile and there’s the increased risk of fractures. Severe gum disease can also cause deterioration of bones in the mouth. Discover more, compliments of Healthline
Single Dental Implant, All-on-4, Dental Implant Bridges
We invite you to discuss your dental dilemmas with our friendly and caring team. We are happy to explain different options and answer all of your questions and concerns. Some patients are surprised to hear that they’re ability to receive dental implants are negatively impacted by their lifestyle and/or oral hygiene habits. We’re here to help with the needed info when this happens. Learn more about how to recognize issues below:
Recognizing a Failing Implant
When bone doesn’t grow properly around an implant, the main sign is often mobility. At first, the mobility may be slight and only recognizable by a dentist, but over time an implant that has failed to integrate will feel wobbly and may move when the person chews or talks. A totally failed implant will be consistently movable.
Other signs of a dental implant that has lost osseointegration may include pain, swelling or infection, but that’s not always the case. If your dentist notices that your implant is mobile, they may recommend an X-ray to check on your bone growth. An X-ray of a failed implant will likely show significant loss of bone around the metal portion. Read about further signs, compliments of Colgate
Keep Your Follow-Up Appointments
It can be tempting to jump into your secure smile and newfound confidence. We wish all that for every client and more. However, we cannot stress enough how vital it is to maintain your followup schedule after surgery. Our committed and professional team is ever vigilant to ensure that you are healing properly. We are monitoring many factors each time we see you and it is important to not skip out even when you are feeling and chewing great.
Monitoring Your Progress
Your oral health is subject to many key factors. Ensuring you have enough time to rest properly and allow your mouth to heal after surgery is essential. Clients may be eager to enjoy their favorite foods and drinks right away; however, dental implant healing cannot be rushed. Keeping your mouth healthy and happy is very important. Be sure to call us right away if you feel your dental implant has shifted or if you have any issues whatsoever. Learn more about early potential issues below:
Early-stage complications
Early-stage complications may involve the maxillary sinus or the mandibular bone, soft tissues and nerve trunks adjacent to the implant site. Not all the mechanisms responsible for these complications are known but the most common causes are an excessively traumatic surgical approach, bone overheating during osteotomy, and bacterial contamination of the host site.
Infection
Infections arising during the first few postoperative days present with edema, exudate and pain. They are caused by bacterial contamination during surgery either directly via accidental contact with the implants or indirectly from gloves or instruments. The risks of such a complication may be reduced by following the surgical principles of asepsis (1, 2). This measure is advisable even though a retrospective analysis by Scharf and Tarnow (3) comparing 273 implants inserted under “sterile” conditions and 113 implants placed under “clean” conditions showed no statistically significant differences in the success rates of the two groups. Learn more, compliments of NCIB
There Are No Silly Questions at HDIC
Never feel like you can’t ask us your pre- or post-surgery dental implant questions. You absolutely can! Our team is committed to helping you succeed every step of the way. In fact, let’s get started on your new smile now. Book your consultation at Harrell Dental Implant Center today to find out how a single dental implant, dental implant bridge or All-on-4 upper and lower arches can give you the smile you’ve always wanted. Call us at (704) 206-1330 or use the contact form on our website to reach out and we’ll get back in touch with you.
