5 Reasons Dental Implants Fail

Dental implants have a 98 percent success rate. They’re a safe, popular, and long-term fix for replacing missing teeth and giving you back a natural, bright smile. For the vast majority of dental patients, implants are a great option and a cost effective option over the long-term.

But that doesn’t mean dental implants last forever or they work for everyone. Not every patient is a good candidate, and there are legitimate reasons why implants fail. It’s important that you talk with your dentist about the benefits of dental implants and the risks. You need to weigh your options carefully so you can make an informed decision.

Dental implants rarely fail, but when they do, here are some of the reasons.

Substandard Materials

Beware the ridiculously cheap dental implant procedure you may see advertised. Just as with everything in life, you get what you pay for. When a dentist advertises an implant that only costs a few hundred dollars, you’re likely not getting the best quality implant. High quality dental implants may cost more but they’re also made to last a lifetime. It’s better to wait a little longer until you can afford a better implant than to go through the procedure and have them fail in a year or two.

Not Enough Diagnostic Work

Your dentist should get a full set of x-rays and perform a complete exam before your dental implant procedure. If not, they may not know what to expect before removing your teeth (if that’s part of the procedure) or inserting the rod. This isn’t a time to shortcut the process as valuable information can be learned about any potential bone loss or the structure of your jaw during this phase.

Lack of Medical History Information

Your dentist relies on you to tell them everything about your medical history. Even small details that you don’t think matter can be extremely important. Your dentist will check your vitals and look over your dental medical history, but they need to know more than that. Knowing if a patient is pre-diabetic or has high blood pressure can make a difference in how your dental implant procedure will progress.

The prescription medications you’re on and allergies you have are also just the beginning. You might not realize it, but your dentist also needs to know what over-the-counter medications you take on a regular basis and the vitamins and supplements you use, too.

Lack of Proper Dental Care

Your dentist has a responsibility to use good materials and get as much information as possible during the diagnostic phase. But once the implants are in, what you do or don’t do helps determine the success of your dental implants, too. Follow your dentist’s instructions for post-operative care. It will be a couple of months before your permanent bridge or crown is inserted. Once that happens, you can take care of your implant like a natural tooth. Brushing, flossing, and regular dental check-ups are all that most patients need to do. But if you don’t do that basic level of care, the very real chance of dental implant failure increases over time.

Not Following Up on Problems

While brushing and dental cleanings are important for the long-term life of your dental implants, so is dealing with problems before they become emergencies. If your implant feels loose, don’t ignore it. When your gums ache or you experience bleeding gums, don’t shrug it off. It’s much better to catch something when it’s small and can be corrected with an antibiotic and a deep cleaning. If you wait too long, that ache can become a serious an infection or turn into later stages of gum disease or another dental emergency that can threaten your dental implants success and your oral health.

Conclusion

When you talk to your dentist in Phoenix about dental implants, it’s important to know how they work and what will happen during the procedure. But you also need to understand the risks and potential problems. This will help you make an informed decision about your dental care. Ask a lot of questions before the procedure and take care of your implants after the procedure. You’ll reduce the risk of dental implant failure and improve your chances of having a great smile for the rest of your life.