While dental implants are considered to be the best form of tooth replacement available, there are still a few problems that can arise with them. A dental implant may come loose due to injury, infection, or because it didn’t heal properly in the first place. If you have discovered that your dental implant has come loose, don’t panic! Here’s a brief overview of what to do when this happens.

Give Your Dentist a Call

If your dental implant is loose, immediately call your dentist. If the office is closed when you call, leave a message that includes your contact information and an explanation of the situation. While a loose dental implant is an urgent situation, it does not count as a dental emergency and can wait until the office opens again.

When your dentist gets back to you, they will probably ask you a few questions like:

• Has the dental implant fallen out completely or is it still in its place?
• How loose has it come?
• Is only the crown loose or is the whole implant moving around in your gums?
• Are you experiencing any pain?

Your dentist will schedule an upcoming appointment for you so the problem can be resolved.

How Can a Dental Implant Come Loose?

When dental implants come loose, it’s usually in one of these two ways:

The crown has come loose.

This is the most common way for implants to come loose, and it is not the most serious problem. If the artificial tooth attached to the implant is loose while the implant itself is still holding fast in your gums, it probably means that it has come unscrewed or that its cement has eroded away. In some cases, the crown will simply need to be fixed back in place, but the whole crown will need to be replaced in others.

The implant has come loose in the gums.

If the post surgically placed in the gums is moving around in its socket, this is a more critical issue. Dental implants are sturdy because they naturally fuse to the jawbone through the natural process of osseointegration, so an implant that can move in the gum is probably failing. This problem isn’t always easy to address, and it may involve bone grafts and replacing the implant.

Don’t let your loose dental implant get any worse. By addressing the problem as soon as possible, you can prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

About the Author

Dr. Bradford G. Young earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania Dental School in 2002 before completing his general practice residency in the Lehigh Valley Health Network. He is proud to serve as a member of the American Dental Association, the Pennsylvania Dental Association, and the Academy of General Dentistry.  His office in Allentown, PA offers general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. If your dental implant has come loose, dial (610) 439-1363, or contact the office online for more information.