When you’re researching the benefits of dental implants in downtown Los Angeles, you’ll find source after source talking about how successful they are. Indeed, with a proper examination and a skillfully performed surgery, a dentist can keep the risk of implant failure to a minimum. That said, even though the failure rate is only about 5%, there’s still a very real chance of experiencing a complication that could cost you your new smile. Before you schedule your surgery, here’s everything you need to know about implant failure.
What Causes Implant Failure?
If the implant has not joined with the jaw correctly, or if the site becomes infected, the procedure will ultimately fail. Bone loss will likely occur, and the implant post will come loose and might even fall out altogether. And of course, a broken implant cannot function properly. There are several factors that can lead to such complications:
-
Gum Disease: Your dentist cannot place implants while the gums are already infected. Even after the surgery, you need to make sure the bone and gum tissue around the post stays healthy.
-
Poor Oral Hygiene: Insufficient brushing and flossing could easily lead to an implant-threatening infection.
-
Low Bone Density: A certain amount of bone needs to be present so that the implant can merge with the jaw. Insufficient bone density is likely to lead to failure.
-
Poor Overall Health: Rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases can slow down healing and ultimately disrupt the implant integration process.
-
Smoking: Using any kind of tobacco product after implant surgery is one of the worst things you can do; your risk of infection will be much higher, and the mouth won’t be able to heal itself effectively.
-
Jaw Trauma: If you suffer a severe enough blow to the mouth, the implant post itself might break.
What Can You Do If a Dental Implant Fails?
The good news is that even after dental implant failure in Los Angeles has occurred, it may still be possible to salvage your smile. The most important step is to get in touch with your dentist as soon as you notice something wrong, such as a mobile post or pain that occurs long after the surgery has been completed. It may be necessary to remove the implant entirely in order to treat an infection or reverse bone loss. However, this doesn’t have to be permanent; your dentist will usually be able to attempt the procedure again once your oral health is restored.
Keep in mind that at the beginning of the implant process, every step will be taken to address potential issues ahead of time, and the chance of failure remains very small. Still, you need to be prepared for the worst so that any complications that do occur can be addressed quickly so that you can ultimately look forward to new teeth that will last for decades.
About the Author
Dr. Adam J. Geach is board certified in prosthodontics and has completed years of advanced specialty training. He is highly skilled in performing procedures meant to replace and restore teeth. Naturally, that means he’s well-experienced in placing dental implants and minimizing the risks of surgery. If you’d like to schedule a dental implant placement at his practice, Geach Dental, or if you think there’s a problem with implants you received from another practitioner, visit Dr. Geach’s website or call (213) 810-3368.
