Dental Implant Fell Out
Having a dental implant done is a demanding process, there are specialist visits and an operation to be faced in addition to the costs to be incurred. It is no coincidence that one of the main fears of patients who are preparing to undergo a dental implant surgery is the possibility of losing the implant.
What are the causes that lead to the loss of the dental implant? What to do if this happens?
Rejection of the dental implant
We want to reassure all people who are considering an implant by saying that the risk of rejection in dental implantology does not exist in the same way that it does for organs and other transplants. Dental implants are made of titanium, an inert alloy that is not recognized as a foreign body by the body, but that manages to integrate perfectly with the bones. For this reason, the loss of an implant in the first months of surgery is always caused either by incorrect management by the operator or by the patient or by a critical condition of the residual bone where the implant is positioned. Unfortunately, the "excuse" of rejection of the implant is often used by operators in the sector to justify the lack of osseointegration probably due to the mistakes made by the implantologist during the surgery.
What are the real causes that lead to the loss of the dental implant?
In most cases, the loss of the implant in the months following the surgery is due to the lack of osseointegration (or growth into the jawbone) of the implant. This may be due to:
* a non-sterile surgical approach
* inadequate preparation for surgery
* overheating of the bone during the preparation of the implant site
* contamination of the implant surface with saliva
* to an excessive load during the healing phases
* incorrect antiseptic and antibiotic prophylaxis before and after surgery
* inadequate post-operative behavior on the part of the patient
Most of these causes are therefore technical errors made by the implantologist, such as excessive heating of the bone, contamination of the implant, incorrect evaluation of the type of bone or load. The patient also has his share of responsibility in the success of the implant surgery. In fact, it is essential to carefully follow the instructions provided by the dentist, have a scrupulous home oral hygiene, limit and in some cases eliminate the consumption of cigarettes and alcohol. Another cause of long-term loss of implants is peri-implantitis, a bacterial infection that destroys the tissues that are in the vicinity of the implant. Peri-implantitis is to an implant what periodontitis is to a tooth. This is a complication of implant treatment, which manifests as loss of bone around the implant, and which can result in loss of the implant. This complication can occur early (within a year of implant placement), or longer term (several years after implant placement). The implant is an artificial titanium root, which is used to replace a missing tooth. It is inserted into the bone and the gum line where the tooth is missing. When periodontitis (loosening of the teeth) occurs after implant placement, it can also affect the implant. This is because the bacteria that cause periodontitis detach the teeth from the gum tissue but can also detach the implant from the gum tissue in the same way.
If the bacterial infection is identified in the initial stages, it is possible to remedy it with careful professional dental hygiene, if instead it has already attacked the bone hosting the implant, a surgical intervention aimed at regenerating the bone around the implant is essential. but that in some cases could involve the removal of the implant in order to eliminate the infection and regenerate the bone that will host the new implant.
In its initial stages, bacterial infection manifests itself with redness and bleeding of the gum near the dental implant, while if it has already reached the bone it is possible that the dental implant begins to move just as it does in cases of periodontitis. When an implant is moved it is always lost. If you notice the presence of one of these symptoms you must contact a dentist as soon as possible to assess the situation and implement the therapeutic procedure. Timeliness prevents the loss of implants, averted with the use of antibiotics and disinfectants.
If, on the other hand, the implant has been partially lost, there are currently intervention techniques that may or may not require the complete removal of the implant. In other words, the doctor will have the burden of ascertaining the stability of the screws as well as verifying the stage in which the infection is located. One could proceed, for example, by means of bone grafts followed by the administration of antibiotics, but this solution does not necessarily reduce the current infection to zero.
To eradicate peri-implantitis, there are innovative techniques with high efficacy, such as those based on lasers that annihilate the infection. This therapy can be indicated where the implant is not completely yielded, as there could be situations in which the patient goes to the doctor with screws in hand.
In extreme cases, the dental implant will have to be removed as any solution may be in vain. When removing the screws, it is possible that there is the possibility of replacing the implants, but the operation could be much more complex than the one performed for the first time. The complications are due, in fact, to the reduction of bone resulting from peri-implantitis, which would cause difficulties in finding the right grip to fix the implants.
How will your dentist intervene in case of a broken dental implant?
The implant is not always necessarily damaged as a result of an infection. It can also happen that the screws break over the years, for example as a result of overload on the prosthesis. The fracture of the screw is an irreversible situation, which does not allow to recover the underlying implant. In other words, it is a situation in which your dentist will remove any residues, clean the tissues and replace them with perfectly usable products. To unscrew the titanium screw, the surgeon will have to use a particular technique, designed to facilitate the operation: what must be avoided is damage to the bone that houses the implant.
How long does dental implant last?
A dental implant on average has a duration ranging from 10 to 15 years in more than 95% of cases. To achieve this result, it is necessary to carry out both regular check-ups in which the dentist can examine the implant and oral hygiene and periodic professional tooth cleaning sessions to effectively remove plaque and tartar residues.