Many of our dental patients who learn they need dental implants are pleasantly surprised – and relieved – to learn that this state-of-the-art tooth replacement system has a success rate of over 90%. This means that in less than 10% of all patients, dental implants fail – meaning they either fall out or become so loose they need to be removed. This is a great success rate that reassures many of our patients on their decision to choose implants over dentures or bridges. However, there are those rare cases in which dental implants may fail for some of our patients. While rare, certain oral health, medical conditions, or habits may cause dental implants failure. Here’s a discussion of some of the most common reasons dental implants fail.

Dental Implants Can Fail if You Don’t Have Sufficient Jaw Bone Tissue

Because these tooth replacement systems are inserted into your jaw bone, placement requires that you have enough jaw bone tissue so that the entire titanium rod of the implant can be placed in your jaw bone. If you don’t have enough jaw bone tissue, implants can fail. There is a way for our patients to circumvent this complication, though. By undergoing an additional oral surgery called a bone graft (which helps “grow” jaw bone tissue), you can better improve the odds that your dental implants will be successful.

Dental Implants Can Fail if You Have Diabetes

Thousands of residents live with diabetes, and they know from experience that this disease affects much more than their blood sugar and required diet. Having diabetes can make it more difficult for wounds to heal, making it harder for your dental implants to heal, too. People with diabetes are also at greater risk for infection, including an infection of dental implants called peri-implantitis. This infection surrounds the implant and can actually make it fail. If you desire implants but also have diabetes, make sure to let our doctors know so they can collaborate with your primary health care physician on the best course of treatment.

Smoking May Cause Dental Implants to Fail

If you smoke or use other nicotine products like vaping, we know you don’t need a lecture about your habit from us. But you should be aware that nicotine use can negatively impact the success rate of dental implants. Dental patients who smoke are at a higher risk for developing peri-implantitis, the infection that is known to cause implant failure. If you desire dental implants and want to quit smoking to improve their success rate, ask our doctors about how you can find a smoking cessation program that is right for you.

We Want Your Implants to Be Successful

If you choose implants to replace missing or extracted teeth, our doctors want the implant placement to be successful. That’s why we take so much time to evaluate you for eligibility and understand your complete medical history so that we can determine if you’re at risk for implant failure. To ask more questions about whether or not you’re in the small minority of people who may lose their dental implants, schedule an initial appointment with our doctors today by calling our office at (817) 731-2789.