3 Bone-Related Reasons A Dental Implant Could Fail

Dental implants can fill in gaps from missing teeth and offer support for neighboring teeth and comfort during chewing and talking. Implants are a common dental procedure with a high success rate. But there is always a small chance of the implant failing. And there are a few different reasons this can happen and require implant restoration.

Peri-Implant Disease

Without proper oral healthcare, bacteria can build up around the gums and natural teeth. Eventually, this bacteria can cause the teeth to decay, the gums to recede and the jawbone to erode. This combination might have been the cause of the missing tooth the implant replaced.

Having dental implants doesn't mean you can skip those teeth during your oral health routine. Bacteria can still build up under the implant and in the surrounding gums. This can lead to a couple of different peri-implant diseases.

Mucositis is when the soft tissue of the gums becomes inflamed and painful. This is still treatable with improved oral hygiene and a visit to the dentist for a thorough cleaning. If left unchecked, mucositis can turn into peri-implantitis, which begins to deteriorate the bone under the implant. Peri-implantits often requires surgery such as a bone graft since the implant needs strong bone for support.

Osseointegration Failure

Another potential problem born of weak bone is osseointegration failure. If your bone didn't seem weak enough to require a pre-implant graft, it could still prove too weak for the artificial root to take a firm hold. The dental implant will be loose or potentially fall out over time.

It isn't only new implants that are at risk of osseointegration failure. Jawbone growth is stimulated by natural tooth ligaments that shift slightly and apply pressure on the bone. An implant doesn't do this, which means the bone below the implant can grow weaker and deteriorate over time regardless of oral healthcare.

Sinus Infection

The maxillary sinus canal runs through the cheeks and just over the bone supporting your upper teeth. Chronic sinusitis in the maxillary can cause that canal to hang down further than it should. This can cause the sinus to place undo pressure on the teeth below.

If the sinus problem is caught before your dental implant is done, the dentist might order a sinus augmentation. The procedure involves lifting up the sinus and placing in a bone graft that will force that sinus to stay where it belongs. If the sinus problem isn't caught before the implant is placed, you could end up with worsened sinus pain and a loose implant. An X-ray should show your dentist that the sinus is the problem. The treatment will involve removing the implant, performing the sinus augmentation, and then replacing a new implant.

For more information, speak to experts like Tijeras Dental Service.

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