Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – San Antonio, TX
Fight Back Against
Dental Implant Failure
Dental implants are one of the most consistently successful treatments. They do well in more than 95% of cases. However, that does still leave a small chance that something will go wrong with your replacement teeth. If you ever believe that something is amiss with your restored smile, contact us right away. Our San Antonio periodontics team is ready to help you fight back against dental implant failure with our dental implant salvage services. Our goal is to get you smiling confidently again as quickly as possible.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
The most common culprit behind dental implant failure is an infection known as peri-implantitis. It occurs when harmful bacteria infiltrate the tissue around an implant. Eventually, it can cause so much damage that the implant loses its base of support. In many cases, poor oral hygiene is a major contributing factor to peri-implantitis.
Other possible causes for dental implant failure include:
- Physical trauma, such as that caused by an accident or long-term teeth grinding and clenching.
- Certain medical conditions, such as uncontrolled diabetes.
- Failed osseointegration (the tissues around an implant never bond properly with it).
Symptoms of a Failed Dental Implant
Dental implant failure can occur at any time — even years or decades after the original placement surgery. Therefore, you should always be on the lookout for signs that something is not quite right with your new teeth.
Here are some indications that you should schedule an appointment with a qualified dentist or specialist:
- Unusual or severe pain. After you adapt to your implants, you should enjoy pain-free function. Any new or worsening discomfort around them is a cause for concern.
- Signs of infection. Redness, swelling, pus, and gum recession are all red flags that could point to an infection.
- An implant feels loose. In some cases, a loose-feeling implant means there is a problem with the crown, bridge, or denture above the gumline. In other cases, the implant itself needs attention.
- Difficulty eating. It should be easy for you to eat virtually any food with your implants. Difficulties in this area should not be ignored.
How Dental Implant Salvage Works
You should request an appointment with us as soon as you notice that something is wrong with your implants. The earlier you receive care, the more likely it is that the situation can be addressed with minimally invasive means.
You might need something simple, such as prescription mouthwash, a new restoration, or a course of antibiotics. It is also possible, though, that you will need to undergo surgery to remove a failing dental implant. After a healing period and a possible bone graft, you may be able to receive a new implant so you can get back to enjoying a complete smile.