Dental implants are the best restorative choice for replacing a tooth that is missing. Whether the tooth has come out due to some kind of facial trauma, infection, or other issue, dental implants are the solution. The real difference in quality between a dental implant and other restorations, such as bridges, lies in the fact that the dental implant is placed directly into the patient’s jawbone, eventually fusing there through a process known as ossification.
Over time, ossification provides the kind of tooth base that is only seen elsewhere in natural teeth. When a dental implant is successful, it is as secure and as natural looking as a patient’s own original teeth; however, in some cases, dental implants fail. Sometimes they fail repeatedly. What’s causing these dental implant failures? Here are some potential causes.
- Failure to Fuse with Bone: Sometimes the implant doesn’t fuse with the bone, and the bone shrinks away from the implant, leading to implant mobility or even the implant falling out. Patients who have weak bones due to age, osteoporosis, years of being edentulous (toothless), or another medical condition will find dental implants more challenging. If you’ve been having issues with failure to ossify, your dentist might recommend a bone graft to rebuild the jawbone to a healthy level so that dental implants can properly fuse.
- Persistent Infection: In other cases, persistent infection may result in repeated implant failure. Signs of infection include continuous bleeding, swelling at the implant site, or acute inflammation of the gum tissue at the implant site. Pus may be evident, or a bubble might appear on the gumline. Health issues such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, or treatments like cancer therapies can weaken the immune system and leave the implant site vulnerable to infection. Your dentist might prescribe antibiotics or recommend you see an endodontist for a root canal treatment.
If you’re concerned about your dental implant, talk to [Charlottesville] dentist [Dr. Delph] right away. Find out what steps you need to take to ensure that your dental implants are successful.
We offer dental implants in [Charlottesville].
