THESE FOUR THINGS CAN CAUSE IMPLANT FAILURE
Do you have a missing tooth or teeth that have you considering dental implants? One of the most common questions we get here at Rockwall Oral Surgery is What can cause dental implant failure? Make no mistake: Dental implants have an extraordinarily high success rate, reported to be as high as 98 percent in the United States. So, you may be asking yourself what causes failure in the other 2 percent? Although it’s largely uncommon, let’s discuss the common causes of dental implant failure.
Nerve Damage
This is usually a case of inexperience on the side of the surgeon.
Some inexperienced oral surgeons can make the mistake of placing implants too close to the nerves.
This is why our procedures involve careful planning, as placing the implants too close to the nerves will result in pain and a kind of numbness that requires the removal of the implants. Be sure to choose a very experienced oral surgeon like Dr. Pollock when making a big decision like having implants placed.
Problem with Osseointegration
The titanium posts have to fuse into the jawbone in order for the implant to be successful. This process is known as osseointegration.
As it turns out, inadequate jawbone density may render the process unsuccessful. But our patients don’t have to worry about this. If during preparation we discover an inadequacy of your bone density, we can perform a procedure known as bone grafting to add more bone mass to support the implantation.
This is also why it’s important to replace a lost tooth right away before jawbone loss begins to occur.
Infection
This is usually a problem for those who don’t stick to proper health and oral hygiene recommendations after the surgery. If you don’t floss or brush properly, for example, the periodontal tissues around the implant can easily become infected and the implants may need to be removed. Smoking also increases the risk of dental implant failure.
Rejection by the Body
Although extremely rare, the body can reject titanium as a foreign substance. In most of the procedures, the implants are able to fit in like natural teeth. However, an individual’s allergic reaction to titanium can also cause dental implant failure.
Working with an experienced oral surgeon greatly reduces the risk of dental implant failure. If you’re contemplating this or any other oral health procedure, schedule a visit or contact the Rockwall Oral Surgery team at (469)264-8921.
