Expert Treatment for Complications With Dental Implants
Special Care for Your Dental Implants
Dr. Bakuri is highly experienced with dental implants. He has placed thousands of implants over the years and has an excellent success rate. Through advanced diagnostics and thorough planning of the implant surgery, Dr. Bakuri helps avoid any potential issues with dental implants.
Dr. Bakuri also possesses the necessary skills to provide treatment for complications with dental implants, should they arise, even when another dental professional places the implant.
Peri-Implantitis: The Most Common Complication
Peri-implantitis is similar to periodontitis, a bacterial infection contributing to bone loss. The difference is that periodontitis affects natural teeth, gums and bone, while peri-implantitis affects the site of a dental implant.
Peri-implantitis is always preceded by a much milder disease, peri-implant mucositis, a common and treatable condition. Early warning signs are red, swollen gums and bleeding when gums are probed. If undetected and left untreated, it can become peri-implantitis.
The frequency of peri-implantitis can be greatly reduced, and this is an area of focus in our office.
- All of our implant patients have a periodontal exam prior to the placement of dental implants to rule out the presence of periodontal disease.
- We recommend that screw-retained implants be used whenever possible, as opposed to cement-retained. This helps to avoid infection caused by subgingival cement.
- We recommend using implant brands supported by proven engineering. These usually provide a better fit and less likelihood of leakage and infection.
- We do not use "generic" implant parts.
- Patients with implants should have periodic exams to rule out peri-implantitis.
Consultation to Determine the Cause of Peri-Implantitis
The first step in treating a post-implant complication is to determine the underlying cause and the severity of the issue. Peri-implantitis is usually caused by a complex series of elements that may include the following.
- Lack of regular professional maintenance of the dental implant
- Poor hygiene by the patient
- Heavy smoking and/or drinking by the patient
- Cement used to secure the restoration (crown, bridge, denture) slipped under the gum
- Undiagnosed periodontal disease was present prior to and during the implant procedure
- Improper placement of the implant post or restoration
- Dental decay near the implant that has not been treated
All of these aspects must be explored for an accurate diagnosis and to ensure the best course of action.
Examination for Symptoms of Peri-Implantitis
How We Treat Peri-Implantitis
Perioscope
Cleaning and Bone Grafting
When a more severe infection is present, Dr. Bakuri may remove the crown (or other restoration) from the dental implant, open a flap of gum, and then gently and thoroughly clean and disinfect the area. If bone has been lost, he will use bone graft material mixed with proteins to stimulate the regeneration of bone. A collagen barrier keeps gum tissue from encroaching on bone during the two to three months of healing.
Removing and Replacing an Implant
The question of whether an implant needs to be removed may be a difficult one. You and your doctor will discuss the options available and decide on a course of treatment.
There are cases when removing the implant may cause more problems than simply leaving it in and treating the issues that are present, especially since the implant can be removed at a later date if treatment is unsuccessful.
However, when implants that have been placed incorrectly are jeopardizing the health of other teeth, they may need to be removed and replaced. When an implant is removed, bone is often taken with it, and bone grafting is required. After the bone has regenerated and the area has healed, Dr. Bakuri can place your new implant post.