Three Reasons Why Dental Implants Could Fail

Dental implants are the most reliable tooth replacement option available. They involve a titanium post that is imbedded and grows into the jawbone. This gives patients unrivaled confidence in speaking, laughing and chewing. However, despite the extremely high success rate of dental implants, they are not immune to failure. Dental implants are subject to fail within months or years after they are placed. Here are three common reasons that dental implants fail, get damaged or lose stability:

Lack of bone structure. Implants require an adequate amount of bone quality and quantity to be successful. Missing teeth, diabetes, osteoporosis and tobacco use can all lead to bone loss. If your dental implant fails due to poor bone quality, you may need a bone grafting procedure before getting a new dental implant.

Poor Dental Habits. Your dental implants should be cared for just like your natural teeth. Oral habits such as ice chomping, nail biting and teeth grinding can cause excessive stress and force on your dental implant restorations (crown or bridge). To protect your dental implants from damage, you need to stop these habits and wear a custom night guard if you grind your teeth during sleep.

Gum Disease. It is true that your implants themselves are protected from infection and disease. However, the supporting gums and bone are still vulnerable. If plaque is allowed to accumulate around your dental implants, gum disease may set in. This is a serious infection that can destroy your implant’s foundational support if left untreated. This is known as peri-implantitis and must be addressed promptly.

Dr. Wayne Suway is committed to helping patients avoid implant failure at all costs. We do our best to educate patients on the importance of caring for their dental implants and attending their regular checkups so that problems can be addressed at their earliest and most treatable stage. If you experience a change in the way your dental implant looks or feels, you can trust Dr. Suway for top quality dental implant repairs.