Dental implants are the best solution to replace missing teeth due to their natural appearance and comfort. Plus, you can enjoy them for several decades — if not a lifetime. Though many dental implant patients never experience issues, some may get a loose implant. If your implant does not fit as it should, you need to have it taken care of right away.
What Causes a Loose Dental Implant?
Many patients who have issues with their implants wonder what happens when a dental implant is loose. A healthy implant stays stable and fixed in the mouth because it’s secured into the jawbone. Your dental implant should not wiggle or move at all. In most cases, a dental implant comes loose after one week of wear because it failed to bond to the jawbone. In some cases, only the crown is loose, which can be fixed by screwing it down.
Though unlikely, you can have a loose implant several years afterward when:
- Your neighboring natural teeth get infected (peri-implantitis).
- You grind or clench your teeth.
- You have poorly made prosthetics or abutments.
Loose Dental Implant Symptoms
If you have any of these symptoms, your dental implant may be loose:
- Bleeding around the tooth
- An implant that completely came out
- Painful or swollen gums around the tooth
- Sensation of the tooth moving
- Inability to chew or bite down
- Painful area around the implant
What to Do When You Notice Your Dental Implant Is Loose
A loose implant must be taken care of right away. Early treatment can prevent the implant from failing and will save you from undergoing more surgeries and spending more money.
When you first notice a wiggling implant, leave the area alone — do not push on your implant or rock it. The pressure will cause your body to remove the bone around the implant. You should also not chew there to avoid pain and prevent further damage.
The top priority with a loose implant is to schedule a dentist appointment as soon as possible. Your dentist will examine your mouth to check for an infection, inflammation or damaged implant, and they will ask you about your symptoms. They may take x-rays or CT scans. Based on this information, your dentist will determine the cause of your loose dental implant and develop a treatment plan.
If the issue is with your dental implant, it can likely be saved. However, if the looseness stems from a damaged implant, infection, facial trauma or bone loss, the implant will probably need to be removed and replaced later.
Choose Hiossen® Implant for Your Dental Needs
Hiossen Implant is a top implant manufactured with strict quality control standards to ensure it will last for years. Hundreds of clinicians and dentists trust a Hiossen Implant for their patients’ dental needs. Learn more by contacting us online.
