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Dental Implant Salvage—Grapevine, TX

Why Do Dental Implants Fail?

dentist explaining how dental implants workOne of the best parts about dental implants is that they are so consistent and reliable, sporting an impressive 98% success rate. However, some implants to fail or cause concerns, but we offer options for dental implant salvage in Grapevine, TX to save your new smile. While 98% sounds great, with over 5 million dental implants placed last year alone, that means roughly 100,000 people experienced some type of problem. Why is this the case?

There are two main types of dental implant failure—short-term and long-term. Short-term failures usually occur within a few weeks or months after placement if the implant is positioned within bone that isn’t strong enough to support it, or the restoration on top might just be loose while the implant itself is OK.

Long-term failures, which can happen several months after the initial procedure, are often the result of an infection developing around the base of an implant that is very similar to gum disease. This can slowly break down and weaken the nearby bone and gum tissue, essentially removing what is supposed to keep an implant in place.

older many experiencing mouth pain

What are the Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants?

Common signs of dental implant failure include:

All of these can be the result of a loose restoration, the bone being too weak to hold the implant, or an infection, which is called peri-implantitis. When bacteria-filled plaque is allowed to gather near an implant, it can cause the adjacent gum and bone tissue to deteriorate, essentially attacking the foundation of the implant. This can happen if a patient doesn’t regularly clean the implant or is particularly susceptible to developing infections (like individuals with diabetes).

dentist helping patient with dental implant

How Dental Implant Salvage Works

If you believe you have a failing implant, the first thing you should do is give Dr. Greg Martin a call, a trusted dental implant dentist in Grapevine. Acting quickly will give him the best chance of saving an implant and make sure you don’t experience more severe problems than you already are.

When you come to see Dr. Martin, the first thing he’ll do is ask you about your symptoms, and then he’ll give you an exam and take an X-ray of your jawbone. If he determines that yes, the dental implant is at risk of failing, he’ll put together a care plan.

This may involve tightening or completely replacing the restoration if it is the source of the problem. He can treat a case of peri-implantitis with a deep cleaning and antibiotics. If the bone is too thin or brittle to safely hold the implant, the post might need to be removed. He’ll then refer a patient to a specialist to have the implant reinserted into the jawbone to ensure better long-term stability, but this may be preceded by a bone graft to build up and strengthen the jaw to guard against future failure.

It’s Not Too Late

Experiencing problems with a dental implant can be very demoralizing, but you don’t have to just sit back and wait for things to go wrong—Dr. Greg Martin can help you get your oral health back on track so you don’t have to deal with a failed dental implant in Grapevine. With him at your side, you’ll soon have a set of teeth you don’t have to stress about! To learn more or schedule an appointment, give our dental office a call today.

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