Loose Dental Implant

Bacteria can build up below the gum line at the base of an implant. The resulting inflammation can damage soft tissue and, if it is not caught early, the bone supporting the implant. Separate mechanical problems occur when implant parts loosen or wear out.

Keep the area under regular observation for red or tender gums and bleeding during brushing. Implants need regular brushing, flossing and professional check-ups because bacteria can affect them in much the same way as natural teeth.

Assessment includes monitoring the implant as part of a comprehensive periodontal evaluation. The distinction is between mucositis, where inflammation is limited to soft tissue with no bone loss, and peri-implantitis, where supporting bone has deteriorated.

Early peri-implant mucositis may be successfully treated and is reversible. Peri-implantitis usually requires surgical treatment, while a worn or loose implant part needs prompt treatment because the implant can stop working.

Brush and floss around the implant and attend regular professional check-ups. Routine monitoring is part of comprehensive periodontal evaluation, and proper oral-health care can allow an implant to last a lifetime.

Redness, tenderness and bleeding around an implant resemble signs of gum disease. Bone loss beneath inflamed soft tissue marks the more advanced peri-implantitis category, rather than mucositis without bone loss.

Untreated mechanical loosening can leave the implant not working. Inflammatory disease can progress from soft-tissue inflammation to deterioration of the supporting bone, and peri-implantitis usually needs surgery.