Dental implants are the gold standard in teeth replacement. Unlike any other type of restoration, they offer a replacement for the missing tooth as well as the missing tooth root. This ensures your prosthetic tooth (or teeth) is securely anchored into your jawbone for a confident and durable smile. Implants involve the surgical placement of a titanium post into the jaw. The implant will fuse to the surrounding bone and form a firm foundation for a dental implant restoration to be attached on top. Depending on how many teeth you are replacing, the implant restoration can involve a custom crown, bridge or denture.

One of the highlighted advantages of implant dentistry is its remarkable success rate. In fact, dental implants carry an average success rate of up to 98%! Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that all dental implants are exempt from challenges, damage or even failure. It is important to understand the warning signs that your dental implant needs repair.

Types of Dental Implant Problems

The good news is that the majority of repairs involving dental implants lies within the implant restoration, or the prosthetic tooth or teeth that rest on top of the implant. This can involve repairing a crack or other damage in your prosthetic tooth or replacing the implant restoration entirely – which is a seemingly quick and easy process. Problems within the actual dental implant (below the gum line) tend to be more serious and may involve replacing the implant entirely.

When it comes to complications within the dental implant, peri-implantitis is a leading issue that can cause the implant to fail. Peri-implantitis is a type of gum disease or inflammatory disease that affects the gum and bone surrounding the implant. It can lead to a loss of bone structure, which causes your implant to feel loose and unstable. You may also notice swelling, redness, bleeding and sensitivity in the gums around your implant. Symptoms of peri-implantitits should be addressed with your dentist immediately.

Why Do Dental Implants Have Problems?

There are several reasons why dental implants show signs of trouble, some of which may not even be within your control. Here are the top culprits to dental implant failure:

• Dental cement leakage
• Improper implant placement
• Poor-fitting crowns that trap bacteria
• Unmanaged diabetes
• Smoking
• Gum disease

Schedule Your Dental Implant Repairs

Have you experienced a change in the way your dental implant looks, feels or functions? Dental implant problems can occur at any time, from 1 day post-surgery to 10 years after your implant placement. The important thing is to let your dentist know about it. Dr. Thompson proudly offers dental implant restorations and dental implant repairs in the comfort of our state-of-the-art office. Protect your implant dentistry investment by scheduling implant repairs sooner rather than later!