Can a Dental Implant Fail?

Dental implants can provide highly effective and comprehensive tooth replacement treatment to patients seeking long-lasting restorative benefits after tooth loss. Not all patients can qualify for this treatment though. A dentist will evaluate your oral health to ensure you can sustain the implant.

But even if your dentist deems you healthy enough for this treatment, a dental implant could fail if you do not take care of your smile and dental work. A failing dental implant will require urgent removal from your dentist, so you will want to take precautions to avoid this dental emergency. Read on to find advice from your dentist about how to protect your new dental implants from failing.

prevent dental implant failure

How to Prevent Dental Implant Failure

Follow Aftercare Instructions from Your Dentist

Implant dentistry involves multiple steps over the course of three or more appointments with your dentist over a three to six-month period. To improve your chances of success with your dental implants, you will need to follow the guidelines your dentist provides you after each step of the process.

First, your dentist examines your jawbone, gums, and the rest of your mouth to ensure you can support the implant structure. Then they will schedule oral surgery to place the anchors of the implants into your jaw.

You will need several months to heal from this procedure. During this time, the anchors fuse with the jaw to establish a solid foundation for dental prosthetics. As you recover, you need to keep the surgical sites clean. But you must use careful, gentle actions to do so in order to not disturb the healing process.

The dentist can provide pain management tips as well to reduce discomfort during this time. If you feel severe pain that does not respond to their advice, this could be a sign of dental implant failure. In this event, call your dentist right away.

Attaching prosthetic teeth to the anchors does not hurt. But it may take some time to get used to the feeling of the implants in your mouth. Attend follow-ups and follow care guidelines to get the most out of your dental work.

Continue Healthy Oral Habits After Treatment

One of the draws of tooth replacement using implant dentistry is that the implants do not require much extra maintenance than your usual oral health care. After receiving implants, you will need to brush and floss your teeth as you normally would. But you will not require separate cleaning for the dental work.

Dentists might suggest special brushes, pastes, or flossers to better clean the implants. Make sure you stick to this thorough oral hygiene regimen to avoid forming dental problems like cavities or gum disease. These can alter your smile and lead to negative effects on your implants, including their failure.

Attend routine teeth cleanings too to maximize your preventative dental care as well as the benefits from your implants. Ask your dentist for more specific advice during your next appointment.