What If My Dental Implants Fail?

My dentist told me the best way to replace the molars I hadextracted is to getdental implants. I’m no slouch, but losing those teeth was quite an ordeal.One was hopeless from the start. It blew up as a massive infection unexpectedlyand I didn’t have the cash to save it at the time, so the only option was topull it. The other was similar, only I had insurance at the time and we did aroot canal. Well, the root canal didn’t work. I didn’t even know that waspossible. After hours in the chair, it flared back up again a month later. Thattime, he sent me to a specialist who retreated the tooth and it did it again.So, it had to go to. But, I’m telling you, this was months of pain, swelling, infections,and I don’t even know how many hours in the chair.

Given all this, I’m reluctant to go forward with the dentalimplants. I’ve heard there’s some possibility they could fail and apparently I’mthe walking definition of Murphy’s Law. Shoot it to me straight, please. Whatam I really looking at if these things fail?

Thanks,

Finn

Dear Finn,

This is a fair question. Research shows dentalimplants have success rates as high as 98%. That’s good news for the generalpopulation, but it may not mean much to people like you who are disproportionatelyimpacted by Murphy’s Law.

You can improve the outcome of your dental implants.

Let’s start by saying you have some control over the outcomehere. You can help keep ‘ol Murphy at bay by:

• Starting with good oral health
• Avoiding tobacco products
• Managing health conditions, especiallycardiovascular disease and diabetes
• Following up with all your dental visits
• Staying on a strict schedule for your teethcleanings
• Practicing top-notch oral hygiene at home
• Choosing a dentist who has loads of experiencewith implants and places them regularly

You have choices if they fail.

The ball’s in your court if they fail to integrate, youdevelop an infection which causes issues, or have other issues. Generallyspeaking, you can have new ones placed. This usually involves some bonetreatment and giving the area time to heal before trying again. You can alsoexplore options like bridges or partial dentures.

Overall, they’re still the best choice.

Given your history, it’s understandable that you’d be waryof them. However, it’s important to note that they’re the only replacement formissing teeth that has a “root.” This root-like structure lets your jaw bonethat it’s still needed. People who don’t replace their teeth this way can face significantbone loss, which results in facialcollapse. Some people still have the issue with the artificial root, buteven then, it tends to significantly slow the process. While the final decisionis yours and must be something you’re comfortable with, odds are Murphy willstay benched on this one and you’ll be thrilled with the results.

This blog is sponsored by Dr. Steve Sirin, a provider of dental implants in Elgin, Illinois.