My Dental Implant Failed; What Now?

Dental implants have gained much popularity in the dental field due to their impressive ability to restore missing teeth, but the healing process after placing them does not always go as planned. Additionally, sometimes they might seem fine at first, but over time take a turn for the worse or an accident may occur. A failed dental implant must be removed, and the process of doing so is typically a safe and relatively simple process. Read on to learn about why dental implants might fail and what to expect when getting them removed.

Why Do Dental Implants Fail?

A dental implant is surgically placed in the jawbone so that an artificial tooth can be mounted on it above the gumline. The implant must fuse to the bone tissue in order to be strong and healthy, and it will fail if it loses its grip on the bone. There are two types of implant failure: early and late.

Early failure

Early failure happens within a few months after placing the implant. During this period, the jaw has not had enough time to integrate the implant, so it is usually quite loose and fairly easy to “unwind and remove”. This process involves cutting away a tiny bit of the bone around the implant until the surgeon can work it loose and remove it. A dental implant can become loose due to infection, poor healing, or not being placed properly, but the most common cause is too much motion of the implant during recovery from the procedure.

Late failure

Late failures happen when implants come loose after being fully integrated into the jawbone. If the implant comes loose due to infection or injury, its removal is about as easy and simple as with an early failure.

However, some late failures are more complicated. Sometimes an implant seems rigid and sturdy, but X-rays show bacteria destroying the bone around it. This condition is called perio-implantitis and it comes with symptoms like pain, pus, abscesses, and foul breath. In order to treat this infection, the implant usually must be removed to prevent further bone loss and the bacteria from spreading. Removing an implant in this condition can be more complicated because it must be extracted from the bone structure with which it has bonded.

What Else Can Make a Dental Implant Harder to Remove?

Longer and wider implants are typically more difficult to extract because they have more surface area that can fuse to the bone. However, a narrow implant can become particularly difficult to remove if the top breaks off during the procedure.

Bone forms an incredibly strong chemical bond to the surface of a dental implant, and one can be quite firm and stubborn even when bonded to only two or three millimeters of bone. Extracting an implant from the lower jaw is generally more difficult than from the upper one. If the implant is placed near a sinus or a nerve, special care must be taken when removing it to avoid damaging these structures.

While most of these circumstances can be prevented with regular dental appointments and proper oral hygiene, it is possible to recover from the failure of a dental implant. Consulting with your dentist can help determine if your implant needs to be removed and if it can be replaced.

About the Author

Dr. Danette McNew earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery at Baylor College of Dentistry in 1988 before opening her own practice in Rockwall, TX in 1990. She serves as a member of the American Dental Association, the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists, and the SPEAR Education Study Group. Her office offers general, pediatric, cosmetic, restorative, and emergency dentistry in addition to dental implants. If you are concerned about whether your implant needs to be removed, contact her office online or dial (972) 666-5439.