Dental implants replace roots and crowns as a procedure for tooth replacement. People who have lost teeth due to cavities, gum disease, or impact often turn to dental implants.
We have been providing dental implant treatments at Smilepoint Dental Centre for X years and a relatively common question we have had to answer several times is; can dental implants fail? The most straightforward answer to this question is; YES, dental implants can fail. To understand why this question even arises, you need to know how the process works in the first place.
When getting a dental implant, a dentist will insert a small titanium post into your jawbone beneath each tooth where an implant is intended to go. The bone will surround the post and connect with it, essentially making it part of your body. That means you’ll be able to eat and speak as you normally would, but you won’t experience any pain from the bone.
In a process called “osseointegration,” your jawbone will attach as if the post is actually part of your body. Once that’s done, a dentist can fit you with an artificial tooth – teeth are attached to crowns made of porcelain or metal – which will fuse to the implant itself.
The success rate of dental implants is high – roughly 95 percent – but there are still instances where dental implants fail. To answer the question, “Can dental implants fail?” you must consider three scenarios: If the implant becomes infected, if the body rejects the implant and if the implant does not fuse with the jawbone.
Each case is different, but all are capable of causing problems for patients who have had implants inserted to replace teeth. Let’s take a look at each situation in more detail so that you understand why it happens and what the effects are likely to be if it does happen.
If an implant becomes infected, your dentist will probably need to remove it because the infection spreads quickly through your mouth. Getting rid of the infected implant as quickly as possible is also important because gum disease can lead to many other serious health conditions. This is not something you want to have gone untreated.
Infection can be avoided if your dentist is careful about their instruments when cleaning teeth around implants. This is usually the case, which means that infection should not become an issue for most people.
If you are unlucky enough to experience implant rejection, your body will try to push the implant out of the jawbone by releasing chemicals into your system. The result is that what was once part of you now feels like it’s trying to separate itself from the bone. You may also notice symptoms of dental implant failure or other symptoms similar to other types of infections.
What are the Signs of Dental Implant Failure?
There are many different symptoms related to dental implant failure. If you feel any of the following, chances are there; your implants may have failed.
- Brief or extended periods that you can’t eat or speak normally because it causes discomfort
- A sharp pain in your mouth, which is unrelated to an injury
- A small amount of blood when you wipe your mouth after brushing your teeth
- The feeling that one or more of your teeth has become loose or wobbly without an associated injury
- Symptoms similar to those listed above even though no accident occurred
An infection in the area where you had dental implants placed Dental implant failure often ends up being messy. This is especially true if infection occurs, which can quickly become very serious. But even if the infection does not take hold, any of the above symptoms means that your dental implants are giving you trouble and should be checked out by a professional.
Because conditions like gum disease can lead to other health issues, it’s important to keep up on your regular dental exams. A dental implant specialist will have the knowledge necessary to provide you with treatment options when something goes wrong, including what steps you’ll need to take to correct the problem.
If an implant fails for whatever reason, there are various ways that a dentist may go about correcting or replacing it. Implants that have been infected will need to be removed before allowing the surrounding bone time to heal, while implants that fail for other reasons may be repaired or replaced.
Each case is different, and dental implants specialists will provide you with an individualized assessment and treatment plan based on your unique situation. The key to avoiding implant failure is to protect the body’s overall health by getting regular exams and treating infections or inflammation when they occur to minimize risk factors.
This means that if you’ve had problems with dental implants in the past, it doesn’t mean that future implants will fail. Proper care can help prevent such instances from happening again in the future.
Dental implants can fail but the benefits are obvious. There should be nothing to worry about as long as you choose your dentist carefully and watch out for infection or rejection.
Also, to benefit from dental implants, you need to be a good candidate for the treatments. If you are not the ideal candidate for these treatments, it doesn’t matter how well you follow your dentist’s instructions and protect the area where implants were placed, there’s still a chance that they could give you trouble at some point in the future.
This means that if you suffer from dental problems like tooth decay or gum disease, getting dental implants may not be an option for you. These conditions put you at risk for several complications, including infections and any other medical issues.
Because implant failure can cause an infection, this becomes even more serious when combined with these existing concerns. Consult with a knowledgeable cosmetic dentist to help you figure out the best options for you depending on your needs.
The Bottom Line
Dental implants can fail, and there’s a possibility that they could cause serious health illnesses. But, if you partner with your dentist to make sure that any infection or signs of additional problems are spotted early, the likelihood of this type of complication should be minimized.
Treatment options are available for dealing with implant failure but the best course is to take steps to prevent it from happening in the first place. To learn more about protecting yourself, contact a dentist at Smilepoint Dental Holland Village.
Smilepoint Dental Holland Village – Wisdom Tooth Extraction/Removal | Dental Implants
43 Jln Merah Saga, #01-64 Chip Bee Gardens, Singapore 278115
+65 6475 1028
https://smilepoint.com.sg/
