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Dental Implant Failure & Salvage – Mineola, NY

Saving Your New Pearly Whites

Far and away, dental implants are the most successful and longest-lasting tooth replacement available today. That being said, they could still fail. If you’re one of the fewer than 5% of patients who experience dental implant failure, there’s a chance that our dentists here at Meadowbrook Dental Care can save your new smile. Do you suspect you’re dealing with a failed dental implant in Mineola? If so, please call us right away – we’ll get you seen as soon as possible so that we can perform dental implant salvage. 

Why Do Dental Implants Fail?

model of a failed dental implant in Mineola

A dental implant could fail for a variety of reasons, the most common of which is an infection in the gums called peri-implantitis. This is actually a form of gum disease, and without treatment, bacteria accumulate and eventually destroy the tissues and weaken the bone that support the implant. As a result, the implant fails. Peri-implantitis can occur any length of time after getting dental implants, but it’s most often caused by poor oral hygiene.

Other common causes of dental implant failure include:

  • Tobacco use
  • Injury to the mouth, jaw, or face
  • Medical conditions that impair the body’s healing process
  • Failed osseointegration (the jawbone fusing to the implant post)

Signs of a Failed Dental Implant

man on couch holding his cheek in pain

If you’ve gotten dental implants in Mineola fairly recently (as in, within the last year or so), you might not notice if there’s a problem with your replacement teeth. However, our dentists certainly can! After your restoration has been placed atop your implant, then it will be easier for you to tell when something is amiss. You’ll need to schedule an appointment with us immediately if you experience any of the following:

  • Swollen, red, or bleeding gums near the implant
  • Gum recession around the implant
  • Persistent bad breath or foul taste in the mouth
  • A feeling that your implants (or other teeth) are loose
  • Pain when biting down
  • General soreness or discomfort near your implant

How Dental Implant Salvage Works

dentist smiling toward the camera

If our dentists catch the issue early enough, we might be able to address it with a deep cleaning or another conservative procedure that doesn’t involve removing the implants. More often than not, though, the problem needs more extensive treatment by the time we see the patient. In that case, we may need to remove the implant altogether, treat the infection or other cause of failure, and consider starting the dental implant process all over again.

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