Like regular teeth, dental implants can become loose. If you feel that your dental implant is loose, do not wiggle it like you would a normal tooth. Contact your dentist right away. It will not tighten by itself, and an untreated implant may cause infection or harm to nearby teeth.
You will know that a dental implant has loosened if the implant site feels painful, and bleeds when touched. The area may look discolored or have signs of bone recession, swollen gums, sensitive teeth, and pain when chewing.
When your implant falls out, keep it in a safe container, and take it to your dentist. Avoid chewing food on the side where the implant came off. Rinse your mouth twice a day. To prevent your implant or parts of it from falling out, stick to a soft-food diet for as long as your doctor instructs you to.
These are some reasons that may cause your implant to become loose. Your dentist will find out the cause and recommend the appropriate treatment.
Failure in Osseointegration
The usual cause of loose dental implants is failure in osseointegration. This means the bone did not attach well to the implant. It may be due to soft tissue forming, low bone quality, or infection. Smokers are more vulnerable to this condition, but it can also happen to non-smokers. The dentist will try to treat the underlying cause of the condition, aside from fixing the dental implant.
Gum Disease
Dental implants may trigger a gum disease called peri-implantitis. It is an infection of the tissues that surround the implant. Symptoms are swelling, redness, bleeding, and even pus. The dentist will clean the area, and remove the implant. They will give you antibiotics to cure the infection. When you are ready, the implant dentist will re-attach a new dental implant.
Dental Crown Misalignment
A dental crown that is fitted on the top of your real tooth may become misaligned. If this happens, the dentist will replace it or tighten its screw.
Procedure
The dentist will remove the dental implant, then clean the area where it used to be. Afterwards, the dentist will decide whether to remove or tighten the implant. The things you will experience will be similar to those you had at the time the implant was first attached.
The implant dentist may put a bone graft in the socket to preserve the bone tissue. There may be additional bone grafts if the bone tissue is not enough to sustain the implant after four months. This will help make the implant stick to the bone properly, and become stable permanently.
Recovery
If there are no complications, recovery will take about a week. In the meantime, make sure to brush your teeth gently and rinse your mouth with salt water at least twice a day. It is best to avoid eating hard, crunchy, and spicy food after the procedure.
