The healing process after a dental implant surgery varies from one person to another. In some cases, a dental implant can become loose from its designated position. When this occurs, the first step is to have it removed.
Reason for Dental Implant Failure
The main and the most common reason for a dental implant becoming loose is its failure to integrate with the underlying bone in the oral cavity. Do not wait for the implant to settle into its place in the gums because this could mean that further bone damage can occur.
For a dental implant to be successful, it needs to be incorporated as part of the normal bones found under the gums, just like in a normal tooth. Other causes that attribute to bone integration failure are bacterial contamination, infection, bone grafting issues, surgical technique used, and the personal healing process.
Loose Dental Implant Replacement
If you had loose dental implants removed in the past, you are still eligible to have a new dental implant. Dental implant replacement may take a long time since you will be back to square one.
1. The loose implant will be extracted. The implant site should be cleaned, and any dead gum tissue should be removed.
2. A new bone graft is inserted in the tooth socket to make sure that the bone does not recede from the gum line. Bone graft healing may take weeks to months.
3. After a minimum of 4 months, the implant site is rechecked for signs of bone growth. If the graft has successfully linked to the gum tissue, and is strong enough to support a dental implant, a new implant procedure can take place.
4. However, if there is no sufficient bone growth, a new bone graft procedure is performed. The site is allowed to heal, and will be rechecked after a couple of months. This is to ensure that there will be ample bone tissue growth when a new implant is procedure is performed.
Dental Implant Reminders
If your dental implant becomes loose or is not healing properly, make sure to call your oral surgeon immediately to know the next steps that you need to take. You can prevent a lot of things if you take the advice of a medical professional.
Dental implant procedures can be time-consuming and expensive. That is why you need to take all the necessary steps to ensure that your body is at an optimal healthy level prior to, and during the treatment period.
Do not despair if your dental implant becomes loose. There is a simple and clear cut process to remedy this. Focus on staying healthy, and maintaining good oral health hygiene, instead. In just a few months, you will have a full set of teeth, and no one will notice that it is just a dental implant.
