Peri-implantitis and Failing Implants in Marylebone
An implant that bleeds, aches or moves is worth an assessment sooner rather than later. At UNTIL Marylebone, 1 Orchard Street, an examination and a CBCT scan show how much bone is left around it and what can be done.
- CBCT scan on site
- GDC-registered dentists
- Written plan before you commit
Signs of a failing dental implant
Most failing implants give warning, even when they do not hurt. The Oral Health Foundation lists red, sore or swollen gums, bleeding around the implant, infection and loosening. Others people notice are a bad taste, the gum shrinking back to show metal, or a crown that suddenly feels different when they bite.
If you notice any of these, book a check rather than waiting for the next review. Swelling of the face, fever or difficulty swallowing needs urgent care the same day: contact your dentist, or call NHS 111 if you cannot reach one.
Dental implant removal and replacement
When too much bone has been lost for an implant to be saved, it is removed, usually under local anaesthetic. The site is then left to heal, often with a bone graft, and a new implant is placed once the bone has recovered, typically some months later. Whatever caused the failure, such as gum disease or smoking, is dealt with first, or the new implant faces the same risk.
The dental implant procedure page sets out the stages of a new implant, and jaw bone loss explains how the bone is rebuilt.
What you're seeing
What is peri-implantitis?
Peri-implantitis is inflammation of the gum and bone around a dental implant. It starts much like gum disease around a natural tooth: plaque builds up where the implant meets the gum, the gum becomes inflamed, and if that is not brought under control the bone that holds the implant is slowly lost. An earlier, gum-only stage, called peri-implant mucositis, is usually reversible.
The difficulty is that it is often painless until it is advanced, which is why regular reviews with a scan or X-ray matter more for implants than most people expect. The Oral Health Foundation lists red, sore or swollen gums, bleeding around the implant, infection, and loosening or loss of the implant as the signs to look out for.
A loose crown is not always a failing implant. The crown, or the small screw that holds it to the implant, can loosen on its own, and that is usually a straightforward repair. Movement of the implant itself in the bone is more serious, and an examination with a CBCT scan is how the two are told apart.
Why it happens
What causes a dental implant to fail
- Plaque left around the implant where it meets the gum, through cleaning that misses it
- A history of gum disease around the natural teeth
- Smoking, which makes infection around implants more likely and healing slower
- Missed maintenance reviews, so early inflammation goes unnoticed
- Excess cement left under a cemented crown, or a crown shape that is hard to clean under
- Poorly controlled diabetes
Treatment approach
Peri-implantitis treatment options
Implant Consultation
On enquiryThe first step for any implant that bleeds, aches or moves. An examination and a CBCT scan show how much bone has been lost around it, which decides every option that follows.
See treatment detail →Bone Grafting
On enquiryWhere bone has been lost around an implant, or an implant has had to come out, grafting can rebuild the site before a new implant is placed.
See treatment detail →Single Tooth Implant
On enquiryIf the implant cannot be saved, it is removed and, once the site has healed, usually replaced with a new implant and crown.
See treatment detail →FAQ
Failing implant questions,
answered
What is peri-implantitis?
Peri-implantitis is inflammation of the gum and bone around a dental implant, caused mainly by plaque, which can slowly destroy the bone holding the implant. The Oral Health Foundation lists red, sore or swollen gums, bleeding around the implant, infection and loosening as signs. Marylebone Dental Implants arranges an assessment and CBCT scan at UNTIL Marylebone.
What are the signs of a failing dental implant?
Red, sore or swollen gum around the implant, bleeding when you brush, a bad taste or pus, and in later stages movement of the implant itself, which are the signs the Oral Health Foundation lists. It is often painless until it is advanced. Marylebone Dental Implants arranges an assessment and scan if you notice any of them.
Can peri-implantitis be treated?
Often, especially when it is caught early. Treatment ranges from professional cleaning of the implant surface and better home care to surgery that cleans and reshapes the bone, sometimes with a graft. Where too much bone is lost the implant is removed. Marylebone Dental Implants arranges the assessment that decides which applies.
My implant crown feels loose. Is the implant failing?
Not necessarily. The crown or the small screw that holds it can loosen on its own, which is usually a straightforward fix, whereas a loose implant in the bone is more serious. Both need looking at promptly rather than waiting. Marylebone Dental Implants can arrange an assessment with a CBCT scan to tell the two apart.
Can a failed implant be replaced?
Usually, yes. The failed implant is removed, the site heals, often with a bone graft, and a new implant is placed once the bone has recovered, typically months later. Whatever caused the failure, such as gum disease or smoking, is addressed first. Marylebone Dental Implants sets out each stage in a written plan.
Can Marylebone Dental Implants look at an implant placed elsewhere?
Yes. Bring whatever records you have, such as the implant details and previous scans, and the implant dentist at UNTIL Marylebone assesses it with an examination and a CBCT scan. You receive a written plan setting out the options and their costs. Marylebone Dental Implants arranges that assessment through the UNTIL Health Concierge team.
Related Concerns
Get Started
Request a dental implant assessment in Marylebone,
and UNTIL Health Concierge arranges it at Orchard Street.
Marylebone Dental Implants • UNTIL, 1 Orchard Street, London W1H 6HJ
Request an assessmentThe UNTIL Health Concierge team says it will be in touch within 24 hours of your enquiry.