Dental Implant Salvage – Colleyville, TX
Restoring Your Oral Health and Saving Your Implants
Most of the time, you won’t have anything to worry about during your dental implant procedure; the process tends to be extremely successful, especially when it’s handled by an expert prosthodontist like Dr. Branberg. That said, there’s always a possibility, however small, that your implants might not join correctly with your jaw. If you notice signs of an infection around your implant, or if the post has come loose, call the DFW Dental Implant Center right away; odds are you might need a dental implant salvage treatment.
Why Do Dental Implants Fail?
In the short-term, complications with your dental implants might arise if osseointegration – the process of the bone healing and joining with the posts – does not occur. This can be due to the side effects of smoking or uncontrolled diabetes affecting the body’s ability to heal. It might also be a consequence of placing implants in an area of the jaw where there wasn’t enough bone density. In other cases, implant failure can occur if you develop gum disease as a result of poor oral hygiene habits. Note that your implants can occasionally fail several years after the procedure.
What are the Symptoms of Failed Dental Implants?
You might not realize that an implant has failed right away, but over time you should notice some warning signs. Common symptoms to watch out for include oral pain, an implant that moves, bleeding and swelling of the gums, and the formation of pus. Note that it’s normal to feel some discomfort after implant surgery, but there might be an issue if the pain becomes severe or lasts longer than expected.
It’s best to have a potentially failing dental implant examined right away. Leaving any oral health problem alone tends to make it worse, which in turn may make the salvage process more complex.
How Does Dental Implant Salvage Work?
We’ll try to save your existing implant when we can. For example, in some instances of gum infection, antibiotics and improved oral hygiene can be used to control the harmful bacteria levels in your mouth and give your gums a chance to heal. However, if you’ve lost a significant amount of bone, we may need to remove the implant and perform a bone graft to let the jaw regenerate before attempting the procedure again. Dr. Branberg will need to evaluate your oral and overall health very carefully before developing an implant salvage treatment plan.