How to Tell If a Dental Implant Has Come Unscrewed

A dental implant is a metal post stuck into the jawbone. Over time, the bone grows around it like the post was a natural part of the jaw structure. False teeth permanently fix to the posts, or screws and look like natural teeth. Although the success rate for dental implants is very high, some people experience failed, or unscrewed posts. It is important for one to understand how to tell if a dental implant is unscrewed.

Things You'll Need

• Mirror

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Instructions

• 1

  Consider how long it has been since your dentist placed your implant. Prior to three to four months in the lower jaw and six to seven months in the upper jaw, the implant is more likely to come loose than any other time. That is how long it takes to fully heal, according to ParkAvePerio.com.

• 2

  Think about your oral habits. Things like grinding your teeth and biting down with force put stress on implants and are often the reason for failure. Other bad habits like smoking or drinking also increase the likelihood one will get an unscrewed dental implant.

• 3

  Try to wiggle the implanted tooth. Does it move, or is a surrounding tooth giving you the loose sensation? Although this doesn't happen often, a loose or unscrewed dental implant is considered a failure. Many times dentists can immediately replace the implant with another one in the same spot.

• 4

  Request an X-ray of the implanted tooth and the surrounding bone structure. If there are no cracked or crumbled bones around the implant, the problem is probably a broken screw as opposed to an unscrewed tooth, according to Dental-Implants.com.