What are dental implant failure signs?

Dental implant installation is a method that usually has a predictable and successful result; But like many other treatment methods, sometimes this method may also encounter problems and fail. Although the symptoms of dental implant failure are different; this is an unusual occurrence. In this article, we will talk about the symptoms of implant failure and discuss why dental implants fail. The dental implant is made of three main components including a fixture, abutment and artificial tooth crown.

• The fixture is the base of the dental implant that is placed inside the jawbone.
• The abutment also acts as a screw and connects the artificial tooth crown to the dental implant.
• The crown of the tooth, the same color as other natural teeth, is usually made of ceramic in the laboratory and is mounted on it after the implant base is welded to the jawbone in the final stage.

The dental implant involves surgery on the gingiva and jawbone. In this process, the dentist or oral surgeon will open the gingiva and place the implant base in the jawbone. If the surgery is successful, it is expected that the dental implant base will be placed in the bone at the full and fixed position, and then a ceramic crown will be installed on it. But some reasons cause rejection of the implant base by the patient’s body, which leads to the failure of the dental implant. Studies and statistics show that only 2% of patients have faced dental implant failure. It should be considered that many factors affect the dental implant process and its success or failure. The probability of implant failure will be greatly reduced If the dentist’s instructions are followed correctly after tooth implantation by patient.

causes of dental implant failure

Some causes that increase the probability of dental implant failure include the following:

• Gingiva diseases are the most common causes of dental implant failure due to the spread of bacterial infection around the implant or gingival abscess after the implant.
• Patients under chemotherapy have a very high probability of dental implant failure.
• Tobacco consumption also causes the failure of dental implants; Since smokers face many problems such as reducing the process of repair and recovery in their body; They usually face failed implants.

To prevent the spreading infection, it is better to observe good oral hygiene and visit the dentist at least once every 6 months.

Causes of the dental implant failure

The main causes of dental implant failure include the following:

• Post-implant gingival abscess: the spread of infection are the main reason for dental implant rejection and failure.
• Breaking or cracking of the implant crown: Occurs when crown becomes loose, it may be caused by cracking or breaking a part of the tooth crown or abutment.
• Micro displacements in the base: Micro displacements in the dental implant base will occur when the dental implant base is not properly fixed during surgery.
• Insufficient jawbone density: If the Osseointegration process does not occur well, the implant base will fail. This happens when the dentist installs the base without considering the insufficient bone density.
• Allergic reactions: Since the dental implant base is made from titanium metal, it may lead to symptoms such as swelling, loss of taste, and even itching in the tongue and gingiva due to allergic reactions.
• Infection in the implant screw: Implant screw infection occurs when the dentist or oral surgeon places the base of the implant too close to the nerves. This leads to nerve damage.

Recovery process of the dental implant

The recovery process of the dental implant will take about 3 to 6 months. Due to increasing the possibility of infection during this period of time, experiencing pain or swelling is expected. So compliance with oral hygiene for a 6 months period after installing the dental implant in the jawbone is very important and vital. The treatment of dental implant failure includes the following:

• Dental bridge: In this method, an artificial tooth prosthesis is used to fill the space of the missing tooth. Dental bridges are used for people whose bones are still growing.
• Movable dentures: This method is cheaper than other methods such as bridges or dental implants, but it easily falls out of the mouth and is not aesthetic.
• Ceramic implant base: patients who are allergic to titanium can use a ceramic implant base to fill the space of their teeth; this method can be done after removing the titanium implant base and recovering from the symptoms of implant rejection.