If an implant has just become loose, fallen out, or shows signs of infection (pain, swelling, pus, fever), patients should be seen as soon as possible — urgent implant cases are accommodated ahead of routine appointments.
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A second implant placed without understanding why the first one failed has a higher chance of failing too. Five main categories of implant failure:
1. Failure of Osseointegration: The bone never fully bonded with the implant — sometimes from the start (early failure), sometimes after years of partial integration (late failure). Contributors include inadequate primary stability, thermal damage during drilling, or premature loading.
2. Peri-implantitis (Infection-Related Bone Loss): Essentially gum disease around an implant — the most common cause of failure after the first year. Risk factors: inadequate hygiene, smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, missed cleanings.
3. Mechanical or Prosthetic Failure: The implant is fine, but attached components (abutment, screw, crown) fail — loose screws, fractured abutments/crowns. Often fixable without replacing the implant.
4. Bite Force Overload: Implants in positions bearing excessive force — single posterior molars opposing dense crown work, or patients with severe bruxism — can fail from accumulated mechanical stress.
5. Surgical Positioning Errors: Implants placed too close to a nerve, sinus, or adjacent tooth, or angled incorrectly, can fail or require removal regardless of bone or hygiene.
Thorough history review (when placed, by whom, symptoms, prior records), then 3D cone-beam CT imaging — non-negotiable for failed implant cases, since 2D X-rays are insufficient. Only after cause identification is the replacement planned.
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Looseness, pain on biting, gum recession exposing the implant, swelling, pus, or visible separation from the surrounding gum. Early failure may include persistent pain even when nothing looks different.
Save the implant if possible and call the office; typically seen within a few days. If clean without infection, the site may be ready for re-treatment sooner.
Not always anyone's "fault" — many failures result from biological factors difficult to predict. Some result from surgical or prosthetic errors. Identifying the cause matters more than assigning fault.
Sometimes, particularly for prosthetic issues — but if original surgical placement contributed to failure, returning to the same surgeon often produces the same outcome.
Typically 3–6 months after removal and grafting. Some cases allow immediate replacement if no infection or significant bone loss.
Many plans cover implant replacement, though some have replacement-timing clauses or lifetime maximums. Benefits verified during consultation.
A common case — the bridge may still function temporarily on remaining implants, but the failed position must be replaced for long-term stability; sometimes converting to All-on-5/6 with an additional implant.
Schedule a consultation at Tuscaloosa Dentures and Implants today.