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Dental implant failure is pretty rare, and most people are able to keep their dental implants for 30+ years without any issues. Still, it’s possible for implants to fail in some cases, and require replacement or even removal. Why do dental implants fail? Read on as we discuss a few of the most common causes of dental implant failure, and discuss the steps that you and the team at New Horizon Institute can take to ensure that your dental implant lasts a lifetime.
When it comes to candidacy for dental implants, one of the most important things is the strength and density of your jaw bone. Dental implants are inserted directly into your jaw bone, and your bone must be strong and dense enough to hold the implant in place while it permanently bonds with your jaw. This process is known as “osseointegration.” If your jaw is not strong enough for a dental implant, the dental implant may fail to completely merge with the jaw bone, leading to implant failure.
There’s good news, though! With proper treatment planning, the team at New Horizon Institute can assess the strength and density of your jaw bone, and recommend pre-implant surgeries like bone grafts to strengthen your jaw. With a bone graft, you can still get a dental implant in Gilbert, even if you’ve experienced bone resorption after tooth loss.
Once you’ve gotten your dental implant from New Horizon Institute, your dentist will provide you with a list of instructions to follow as you heal and recover. If you follow these instructions closely, your dental implant will heal properly, stabilize, and bond with your jaw bone permanently.
If you don’t follow your post-operative instructions, though, dental implant failure may occur. For example, if you get full-mouth implants and you start eating hard foods right away with your temporary teeth, you could damage your implants and cause them to fail. Or, if you start smoking immediately after you get a single-tooth dental implant, you will dramatically raise your risk of dental implant infection (peri-implantitis).
Dental implants are a big investment. That’s why, during the initial healing process, it’s absolutely critical to follow the instructions that your dentist at New Horizon Institute gives you.
After your implants have healed and fully bonded with your jaw, they will last if you take good care of them. However, just like natural teeth, dental implants require maintenance. You’ll need to continue brushing and flossing your teeth to prevent infections around your dental implants.
If you don’t maintain good oral hygiene, it’s entirely possible for the gum tissue near your dental implant to become infected. If left untreated, this infection can damage the gums and nearby jaw tissue, causing dental implant failure. Make sure to follow your dentist’s instructions as you care for your new smile every day, and come into New Horizon Institute regularly for routine checkups and dental implant maintenance.
At New Horizon Institute, we focus on providing reduced-cost treatment to patients who may not otherwise be able to afford treatment with dental implants. If you have any questions about dental implants or would like to find out if you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Gilbert, we’re here to help. Give our team a call at (480) 664-2270 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with one of our implant specialists today.
