How to tell if your dental implant is failing
No surgical procedure is completely fail-safe whether these refer to medical or dental procedures. This is a fact. There are always risks attached especially if a patient’s candidacy for a procedure is questionable. A top concern for our patients who require dental implants in Windsor is the success rate of the procedure. On the whole, thanks to developments in the dental industry, the procedure enjoys a high success rate.
A successful procedure does depend on a number of critical factors. The first of which is the experience and competence of the dentist performing the procedure. Why are experience and training non negotiable factors? A dentist well-trained in dental implants in Windsor will know the number of implants that will be required to provide adequate support for any tooth replacement device. This will also promote the success of the procedure and avoid exposing implants to undue stress.
At our dental clinic, we abide by ethical codes of practice as laid down by the relevant authority organisations in the dental industry. These regulations require our dentists to ensure our patients receive the highest level of quality dental care with the least exposure to risks that may affect their health.
What causes tooth replacement implants to fail?
Our dentists will first ascertain a patient’s suitability for a dental implants in Windsor procedure. The first priority will be to address issues with gum disease and jawbone quality, as implant success is heavily dependent on these two all-important criteria . There is little chance of success if gum health and jawbone density is poor, as this is needed to keep implants secure. Fortunately there are procedures and treatments available to improve these issues. Other common risk factors that will affect the health of the implants include smoking, medical conditions and poor dental maintenance.
There is a process to implant failure, which is why we encourage patients who have had implant procedures carried out to be able to identify the worrying signs that the implant may be loose. By identifying these signs, a patient can take appropriate action. Should a patient have any concerns over an implant, they should contact our clinic as soon as possible to arrange an appointment with one of our dentists.
Six signs an implant may be loose
Even though implant failure is rare, patients concerned about their artificial tooth replacement implants should look out for the following:
- Discomfort or pain
- Visible bone loss
- Bleeding around the implant site
- Discernible discolouration around the implant site
- Infection
- Implant wobbling when touched
Infections can happen at any time after a procedure and patients should seek immediate dental treatment should they suspect they have developed an infection. The serious consequences of untreated infections range from bone loss to the implant falling out.
Patients should seek professional dental care should they observe the following symptoms:
- Bad breath persisting even after brushing and flossing
- A bad taste in the mouth
- Bleeding gums
- Pus around the gums
- Fever
- Problems with chewing
- Inflamed or red gums
Regular dental check-ups with our dentists are what we recommend to patients who want to protect their investment in their implants. Give us a call today at Old Windsor for that all important check-up if you have not visited a dentist in a while.
