Dental implants are revolutionary dental technologies that have improved the lives of many patients worldwide. They entail a surgical procedure to replace a missing tooth to prevent the bone beneath from deteriorating.
However, as with all surgeries, dental implants can develop problems, leading to dental implant failure. While the average failure rate is relatively low, it can happen even when your surgeon takes extreme care and uses the most innovative techniques. This article delves into the top reasons a dental implant may fail.
Lack of Proper Bone Grafting
Dental implant surgery usually happens in stages. The first step is to remove the damaged tooth and prepare the jawbone for surgery. At this point, your dental surgeon will use highly advanced dental technology to get images of your dental structure. It will help in the dental bone grafting process.
A dental bone graft is crucial when bone loss has occurred in the jaw. It helps to add volume and density to the jaw in areas where bone loss has occurred. The surgeon may take the bone graft material from a part of your body or purchase it from a human or animal tissue bank. In other cases, your dental surgeon will use synthetic graft material.
How Does a Bone Graft Work?
Once the surgeon places the bone graft in its place, it holds space for your body to do the repair work. It functions as the scaffold on which the bone tissue can grow and regenerate. In some cases, the dental provider may use a dental bone graft in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP comes from a sample of your blood and helps in promoting healing and tissue regeneration.
Before dental bone grafting, your dentist will assess the health of your teeth, jaw, and gums. They will take dental scans or x-rays to determine the extent of the bone loss.
Why Bone Grafting for Dental Implants Fail
Dental bone grafts for dental implants have a high success rate. However, sometimes the procedure will fail because of not following the proper treatment procedures. Bone grafting for dental implants is the specialization of a board-certified specialist in periodontology or dental implant surgery.
Since the process is expensive and time-consuming, patients choose their family dentists to do the procedure to save money. Without the proper experience and skill in bone grafting, the dentist may overlook some crucial steps necessary for a successful dental implant procedure.
Lack of Proper Dental Implant Maintenance
The prospect of having a dental implant failure can be scary. The good thing is that preventing a failure is possible with proper dental implant maintenance and increasing lifespan. Taking care of dental implants is the same as caring for your natural teeth, but you may need a few extra tools and tricks to maintain them effectively.
You may need a change in your diet for the proper maintenance of your dental implants. Avoid chewing on hard food and candy that may be rough on the implant. Additionally, pay attention to how you brush and floss the dental implant.
- Brushing your dental implants: Invest in a soft brush for brushing your dental implants. Don't use stiff and hard bristles, as they could traumatize the tissue around the implant. You also must invest in gentle, non-abrasive toothpaste and avoid harsh products like baking soda. Although implants are durable, you don't want to expose them to elements that may scratch the surface. Doing so will attract bacteria and stain the implant.
- Flossing around implants: Although dental implants don't get cavities, you still should keep them clean. Many people overlook daily flossing as part of maintenance. Use traditional floss or an appropriate floss holder to allow you to work in-between the tooth and the implant. Ensure you remove debris caught in between the implant and the surrounding teeth to prevent dental decay. Not flossing the right way could put you at risk of dental implant failure.
- Regular dental visits: Proper dental implant maintenance doesn't end with good oral hygiene. It's necessary to make regular visits to your dentist for review. Your dental care provider will examine your mouth to check for sensitivity, tenderness in the gums, teeth alignment, and looseness. They'll also do dental cleaning to maintain the general cleanliness of the area.
Your dentist will also get an x-ray of the implant at least once a year. The images will help to check the progress and how it's healing. It is also crucial as it allows the professional to take a deeper look into the various dental implant components to ensure they're in good condition. Regular visits to the dentist are good not just for the implant but also for your natural teeth.
Lack of Experience in Dental Implants
When looking for a dentist or oral surgeon to handle your dental implant procedures, don't necessarily trust anyone. Instead, consider working with a specialist. Working with a professional who knows the ins and outs of dental implant surgery will save you from the risk of a failed dental implant.
Benefits of working with a specialist in dental implants include:
- Advanced training: Implant specialists have to undergo additional advanced training in dental implantology after they earn their dental degree. As such, they have more knowledge and skill in that area than a general dentist.
- Experience: Training is only part of the equation. The truth is that the specialist you choose should have experience in the field. Consider one with 1,000 hours of dental implants instead of one with 10,000 hours of general dentistry expertise, for example. Such a specialist has the expertise to recognize tissue quality and bone volume issues to reduce the risk of dental implant failure.
- Better technology: An implant dentistry specialist will likely have all the technology, tools, and equipment to get you through this process. They can use an intraoral camera or dental magnification loupes to capture the highest-quality images for high-quality dental care.
Looking for a qualified, experienced, and well-equipped dental implant specialist can be challenging. Your search for quality dental care comes to an end at North Shore Smile Surgery. Contact us today to schedule your appointment for the latest on dental implants, dental health, oral surgery, and more.
