Issues With Dental Implants Are Luckily Rare

Dental implant procedures have a success rate close to 100%. Your dental implants can last a lifetime if:

  • your surgery is performed by a reputable, board-certified periodontal specialist or oral surgeon
  • you follow up with regular periodontal checkups as needed
  • you visit your regular dentist regularly and maintain proper dental hygiene at home

Anyone who has had to battle life with dentures can tell you the life-changing improvement they experienced when they improved their oral health and smile with dental implants.

Peri-Implantitis

Rarely, bacteria can form around an implant. The resulting infection can be caused by a compromised immune system, insufficient dental care or poorly placed implants. Known as peri-implantitis, the issue may be discovered because you

  • discover a loose replacement tooth
  • experience a sore jaw (can be bone deterioration)
  • spit out blood when you brush
  • feel swelling or pain around the implant

Treating Implant Complications

 The periodontal experts here at the Pennsylvania Center for Dental Implants and Periodontics are experts at treating gum and jawbone tissue disorders. We can often save failing implants with surgery or even simply using antibiotics. The LAPIP® treatment (which stands for laser-assisted peri-implantitis protocol) tackles dental implant infection with the same laser we use for our LANAP® procedure to treat gum disease. Recovery is quicker than with traditional gum surgery, with no cutting or sutures.

Nobody likes to talk about the possibility of a dental implant that incurs a problem, but Dr. Fava braved the topic in a recent article for 101 Dentist, an online resource for dentists and individuals seeking dental help. You can read the entire article here!