It’s a popular saying that when you fail, you only get stronger. However, in the dental world, this is not the case. When your dental implant fails, it gets weaker.
Despite the fact that dental implant has a lot of benefits, it also has the potential of failing, this article will explain to you how often dental implants can fail, why dental implant fails, what can be done to prevent failure and proper care for a failed dental implant.
How Often Dental Implants Can Fail
According to research, dental implant fails at the rate of about 5 percent. This looks like a small figure, isn’t it? However, considering the number of people that get dental implants, this figure shows that lots of people are suffering from dental implant failure. And this can be as a result of many things.
Why Dental Implant Fails?
Though lots of factors determine whether a dental implant will fail or not, most of these factors have to do with the level of experience of the dentist as well as how careful the dentist was during the dental implant procedure.
Other factors relate to the patients who received the dental implants. These factors can cause either an early or late dental implant failure.
Early Dental Implant Failure – this normally occurs within 2 to 3 months after receiving the dental implants procedure. It is commonly caused by autoimmune diseases (Celiac disease, Type 1 diabetes, Multiple sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis); Poor blood supply; Conflicting medications; Poor Health/Oral hygiene, Dental infections, Overloading (caused by immediate loading procedure); Rejection of the foreign body, Allergic reaction; Nerve/Tissue damage, etc.
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Late Dental Implant Failure – this normally occurs from 1 to 10 years after receiving the dental implants procedure. It is commonly caused by: Under-engineered procedure: when there are too few implants to support the artificial teeth, leading to excess stress on the implants. This can occur either because the dentist was not well-experienced or well-knowledgeable about the use of dental implants. Smoking: Smokers have a higher risk of experiencing failed implants. Bruxism: this means repetitive teeth clenching or grinding, which is commonly caused by missing teeth, misaligned teeth, or stress. This normally happens when the patient is sleeping. Poor Oral Hygiene; Lack of gum tissue; Head and neck radiation therapy, Bone loss, Infections, Mechanical Damages (damaged implant), etc. Symptoms of Dental Implants Failure Here are some of the major signs and symptoms of either the early or late dental implant failure.- Loose or shifting implant
- Difficulty in chewing and biting
- Gum recession around the dental implants
- Severe pain or discomfort
- Swelling or inflammation of the gums
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What Can Be Done To Prevent Implant Failure? If you haven’t experienced any of the signs or symptoms, good for you, the best way to prevent implant failure is to carry out a proper maintenance on your dental implants, this would help you to prevent implant failure. Preventing implant failure is actually easier and better than undergoing treatment for a failed implant. The best way to go about this is by keeping your dental implants healthy through good and proper oral hygiene practices – brushing and flossing at least twice daily and using an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash. You may also consider some changes to your diet. Generally, endeavor to stick to mushy and soft foods. Avoid spicy, sticky, acidic, hard foods, and any other food that is rough on your teeth. It is also recommended that you visit your implant dentist every 3 to 6 months for check up to ensure that there is no issue and any found issue can be treated early. In summary, if you want to prevent implant failure, keep your mouth clean, eat healthy foods, and visit your implant dentist regularly. Proper Care for a Failed Dental Implant If you have a failed dental implant, here are some proper oral cares that you should observe:- Keep up with good oral hygiene – brush and floss at least twice daily with an alcohol-free antibacterial mouthwash.
- Schedule a regular visit to your implant dentist. It is advisable to schedule a visit every 3 to 6 months.
- If possible, update your diet to eat more of bone and gum healthy foods, such as fish, eggs, and milk. Also, avoid hard candies and foods, these can damage the dental implants the more.
