How to Tell If a Dental Implant Has Come Unscrewed or Failed

According to Park Avenue Periodontal Associates, dental implants are between 90 to 95 percent reliable. However, dental implants can and do fail for a long list of reasons, ranging from injury to oral health problems. If you have implants, learn the symptoms so you can catch the problem early and see your dentist before serious damage is done.

Instructions

• 1

  Test your implant for stability. If the implant feels loose while you are eating or talking, or if it feels loose to the touch, the implant may have failed. Your implants should feel strong and stable like your own teeth, so looseness is a red flag there is a problem.

• 2

  Tune into your pain. Pain or tenderness around your implants is a sign of failure.

• 3

  Request an X-ray. If you suspect that one of your dental implants has failed, the only way to know for sure is to have your dentist perform an X-ray. The scan will reveal not only if the implant has become unscrewed or failed, but also if the problem is with the implant itself or if there is a problem in your jaw that has compromised your implant.