Peri-Implantitis Treatment
Rescuing implants ailing from peri-implantitis.
Do You Have a Problem With Your Dental Implant?
You may have a condition called peri-implantitis, an inflammatory disease involving the gum and/or bone surrounding your dental implant. Much like gum disease, peri-implantitis progresses painlessly until it reaches the more advanced stages when symptoms begin to appear. Peri-implantitis is a serious condition that should be treated promptly to prevent the loss of the implant.
What Causes Peri-Implantitis?
While implant surgery success rates are very high, there are risks associated with any surgery where foreign objects are placed in the body. There are various contributing factors that can increase the likelihood of peri-implantitis:
- Lack of regular cleaning – just like regular teeth, dental implants require brushing and flossing, professional cleanings, and regular check-ups. A lack of regular care for your dental implant can result in bacterial build-up leading to peri-implantitis.
- Previous gum disease diagnosis
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Poor placement of the dental implant
What Are the Signs of Peri-Implantitis?
Symptoms of peri-implantitis are similar to those of gum disease
- Inflamed and/or tender gums around the implant
- Bleeding when brushing around the implant
- Gum recession around the implant
- Deep pockets around the implant
- Pus pockets form around the implant
- Bone loss (seen on X-ray) around the implant
- Implant post is visible
How Is Peri-Implantitis Treated?
Peri-implantitis treatments are similar to gum disease treatments. Deep cleaning around the implant site may be recommended to remove plaque and tartar deposits in an attempt to stop bone loss and reduce inflammation. If there has been significant bone loss, a bone graft may be recommended to regenerate the bone. If there has been damage to the gum tissue around the implant, a gum graft may be recommended.