My Dental Implant Is Loose! What Should I Do?

My Dental Implant Is Loose! What Should I Do?

Dental implants should be stable and strong, and they are not supposed to come loose. Your implant is placed directly into your jaw bone, and this creates a strong artificial “root” that supports a restoration, like a dental crown.

At the Mandeville Center for Dental Excellence, we want every patient to know what to do if something seems wrong with a dental implant. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you notice that you dental implant is loose:

What can cause a loose dental implant?

There are three primary reasons that your implant may no longer feel secure in your mouth:

• Loose crown – It’s possible that your implant may be in good shape, but the implant-supported crown (false tooth) is loose. While this is rare, it’s possible for the crown to loosen over time and start to wiggle a bit. Your crown has a shorter lifespan (about 15 years) compared to the implant itself (30 years), so this is a possibility if you’ve had your implant for a while.
• Failed osseointegration – This means that the titanium implant has not fully bonded with your jaw bone. This is very rare, and usually only happens if something went wrong during the implant surgery or your body has an allergic reaction to the implant. This will usually happen within a year of the initial implant placement surgery.
• Peri-implantitis – This is what gum disease is called when it affects a dental implant. If you don’t care for your gums properly, the implant area can become infected and the surrounding bone and gum will be damaged by bacteria. This can cause the implant to loosen.

What should I do if my implant feels loose?

First, avoid touching it or moving it in any way. Don’t brush it or chew around the area. Schedule a consultation with an experienced dentist like Dr. Schof right away. There is no way to treat a loose implant on your own. See a dentist as soon as possible to make sure you get the proper diagnosis for your loose implant, and to get the help you need to restore your smile.

What will happen when I see the dentist?

Dr. Schof will examine your mouth to diagnose the issue. This usually consists of removing the dental crown and cleaning the area, then performing tests on the implant and taking x-rays of the jaw and surrounding oral structures.

If the issue is simply a loose crown, he can replace and restore the crown to ensure it does not move. However, if the problem is poor osseointegration, the implant may need to be removed. If it’s left in place, the problem may only get worse.

If your implant is loose due to peri-implantitis, proper intervention such as cleaning the area and using antibiotics may be used to save it, but it may need to be removed if the infection is too extensive to save the implant.

Have a loose implant? Come to the Mandeville Center for Dental Excellence now!

Dr. Schof can help you understand the cause of your loose implant, and ensure that you get the treatment you need to restore your smile. Give us a call at (985) 626-4401 for an emergency appointment now, or stop by our office at 240 Dalwill Dr, Mandeville, LA 70471. We’ll see you as soon as we can!