While dental implants are intended to be a permanent solution for lost teeth, like any dental procedure, there is no promise of success in every situation. When an implant becomes loose, painful, infected or incorrectly fits in the jaw, you might think that you’ve lost your chance of replacing your missing tooth. The good news is that a failed dental implant can be replaced, but it depends on the reason for the failure and the condition of the bone and gums around the dental implant. Remember, implant failure does not necessarily mean that future treatment will be unsuccessful. In order to determine the source of failure, to address the underlying cause, and to see if the area is ready for additional implants, your dentist will need to conduct some tests.
Read this guide to learn more about this.
What Does It Mean When a Dental Implant Fails?
Dental implant failure generally means that the implant is no longer functioning as intended. The osseointegration is one of the most crucial stages of implant therapy, involving the natural fusion of the implant with the surrounding jawbone. This process can fail and the implant can become loose rather than establishing a solid base. Failure can also occur later after the implant has initially been successful. The stability of the implant over the long-term can be affected by issues like infection around the implant, overloading it, bone loss, lack of oral hygiene, smoking, or damage to the implant components. If there is something wrong with an implant, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the implant itself is broken. Sometimes the problem is with the crown, abutment or the surrounding gum tissue, not the implant itself. This is why an examination is necessary before deciding that an implant needs to be removed or replaced.
Why Can a Dental Implant Fail?
There isn’t one single reason why an implant may fail. Early failure can occur when an implant doesn’t integrate properly with the bone. Some factors may include infection, poor bone quality, too much motion during healing, or some health factors. Late implant failure can have different causes. Peri-implantitis, an inflammatory condition affecting the tissues around an implant, can cause bone loss and compromise its stability. Not caring for teeth properly can make it easier for the site to become inflamed around implants and excessive forces from the teeth or clenching can put more stress on the implant. Lifestyle factors can also play a role. Smoking, for instance, can impact the healing process and is linked to poorer implant results. The trick is to find the exact cause as not every failed implant should be treated the same.
Can the Failed Implant be Replaced?
Sometimes yes, but not right away. When an implant has failed, your dentist in Karachi will need to evaluate the site before they attempt to re-attach an implant again. This sometimes requires removal of the defective implant, healing of the area, and then evaluating if there is sufficient bone to support the implant replacement. If there is an active infection, then that problem must be resolved first. Similarly, if there is an unhealthy or unstable location, it may affect the likelihood of successful implanting. In a few cases, the failed implant can be removed and replaced with a new one, if proper healing time has passed. The timeline is, therefore, quite variable patient to patient.
What is the Next Step?
What is the next step after removal of a failed implant? After a failed implant is removed, your dentist will check the condition of the bone and soft tissue around the area. After the proper healing period, replacement can be performed if there is adequate healthy bone and the site is appropriate. Infection or inflammation, however, can result in bone loss around an implant that has failed, especially when it has been in place for a while. If the bone is not sufficient to provide support, a bone graft may be advised. Bone grafting is the process of replacing bone with bone material where it is lacking. The graft must then heal before another implant can be added. This can sometimes take much longer than the initial treatment to replace the failed implant. Therefore, it is always recommended to discuss the timeline during the consultation visit with your dentist.