Titanium dental implants and ceramic dental crowns can’t develop infections the same way regular teeth can. For example, there is no dental pulp that can get infected, requiring a root canal, or cavities that require fillings. This is one of the reasons dental implants have become such a popular choice for replacing missing teeth.
That being said, the bone and gums surrounding the dental implant can get infected. These diseases occur when bacteria latch onto the dental implant or base of the crown and cause inflammation. This infection is very similar to regular gum disease and requires periodontal intervention.
Just as with regular gum disease, disease around a dental implant is categorized in multiple ways. One form of the disease is called peri-implant mucositis. This means that the gums around the crown and implant are inflamed. This is distinguished from regular gum disease since the effects are localized around the dental implant instead of appearing around other teeth as well.
Another form of the disease is called peri-implantitis. This is when the infection is severe enough as to cause bone loss around the implant. If left, untreated this could eventually cause enough bone loss to make the dental implant come loose.
While implant failure does happen, studies have found a long-term implant success rate of over 96%. Factors such as smoking cause dental implants to be less likely to succeed, so accounting for that brings the success rate even higher.
In addition to avoiding smoking it’s important to come in for all of your dental cleanings and follow up appointments after getting dental implants. These regular visits clean the site of the dental implant and help a dentist catch signs of peri-implantitis or peri-implant mucositis before it has a chance to progress.
If you’re looking for dental implants in the Nashua area or are in need of a cleaning for dental implants be sure to book an appointment at Nashua Dental Group.