Dental implant surgery is the placement of a metal post into the jaw bone to serve as support to the artificial tooth mounted on the metal implant. This dental procedure is successful if the metal post and the jaw bone fuses together as it denotes that the implant will be able to support the normal functioning of the replacement denture. Although dental implant surgeries have a high success rate, around 5% to 10% still experience dental implant failure.
Reasons and Conditions that Cause Dental Implants to Fail
There are a lot of conditions and factors that can increase chances of a dental implant failure, including having an inexperienced surgeon. It’s important therefore to get the best recommendations for a dental implant dentist because his experience and knowledge play an important role in ensuring the long term success of dental implants.
Moreover, experienced oral or dental surgeons explain beforehand, the conditions that will ensure a successful dental implant. In the even that a patient demonstrates the conditions described below, an experienced oral surgeon will give advice not to push through with the implant surgery because of the high probability of failure.
Smoking – Smoking slows the healing process as it restricts blood flow to the gums, which can cause dental implant failure. According to studies, smokers have 20% probability of having a failed dental implant.
Active Gum Disease – A patient currently suffering from an active gum disease, must first wait for his or her gums to turn healthy again. Healthy gums are a requisite for a successful dental implant replacement.
Existing Medical Conditions can slow down the body’s natural healing process. Such medical conditions include autoimmune disease, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis, which can prevent re is a possibility that the implant might integrate or fuse if the patient has slow healing process as it can prevent osseointegration.
In addition, certain medications might interfere with dental implant procedure, which make it important for a dental implant dentist to find out if a patient is taking other medications.
Bone Loss or Insufficient Jaw Bone– An experienced oral surgeon knows he cannot place the metal implant into the jaw if there is not enough healthy jaw bone to support osseointegration. Bone loss or insufficiency may occur because of osteoporosis, which increases the risk of jaw fractures. Another cause are severe gum diseases that cause bone deterioration in the mouth.
Poor Oral Habits and Lack of Dental Care – Good oral hygiene is very important for a dental implant procedure to be successful. If from the very start a patient does not bother with keeping good oral care and dental maintenance, he or she will immediately be discouraged from having a dental implant replacement.