Of course, even when proper procedures are followed, things can go wrong. When you're dealing with the human body, it isn't possible to have 100% predictable outcomes. But when treatment standards are compromised, it invites difficulty.

Types of Dental Implant Failure

These cases can be placed in several categories: Infection - If there are poorly fitted fixtures or improper techniques used, persistent infection can be the result. Loose implants - With substandard fixtures, or if the implants are placed under load prematurely, or if they are placed in bone that isn't solid enough, they can become loose. Nerve impairment - Without the use of three-dimensional radiographic techniques, it is easy to place fixtures in positions where they impinge on nerves that run through the jaw. This can result in persistent numbness, tingling, or pain.

This is a loose screw that Dr. Chal removed from a patient. She had a substandard fixture, and the screw had become loose, and this allowed an opening for infection.

Causes of Dental Implant Failure

Some failure happens despite the best efforts of the dentist and the patient. But some is a result of the natural tendency of both dentists and patients to look for the shortcut, the cheaper solution, the easy road. Here are some of the causes:

• Shortcutting the diagnostic phase - Most dentists are trying to place dental implants with only a two-dimensional panographic x-ray. While a panographic x-ray is adequate for most dental surgery, it isn't enough for properly placing implants. The amount and quality of bone available to support the implant, and the exact position of nerves and blood vessels that run through the bone, are three-dimensional questions. Dr. Chal believes that  only carefully done CT scans, analyzed by a specialist in maxillofacial radiography, provide the level of information needed for these demanding procedures. These 3-D CT scans take less than three minutes to take, and the radiation exposure to the patient is less than 3% of the radiation received during a medical CT scan. Dr. Chal then has the computer provide printouts of one-millimeter cross-sections of the jaws showing the exact locations of blood vessels and nerves and the thickness and quality of bone.
• Inadequate medical history - There are many medical conditions that affect the success of dental implant treatment. Again, thoroughness and care by the dentist here can prevent dental implant failure later.
• Inadequate dental implant fixtures - There are over two hundred companies that manufacture these fixtures, but only six of them have published juried research with test results documenting the quality of those fixtures. Research is expensive, and some dentists are attracted to the companies that have cut costs and offer cheaper fixtures. The cost of a substandard fixture can be as little as one-one hundredth of the cost of a carefully manufactured, precision-engineered, and fully tested fixture, so this can be a powerful temptation for some dentists. But those shortcuts can come back to haunt the patient long after treatment is completed. The photograph above illustrates one way a cheap fixture can lead to dental implant failure. For more information, please see our page about costs and quality.
• Incorrect dental implant placement - This could be tied to an inadequate diagnosis, because it's during the diagnostic phase that the decision is made where to place the implant. It could also be a lack of communication between the restorative dentist and the surgeon. Read about one dental implant mistake of this type where Dr. Chal interceded and prevented a worse catastrophe.

You also may be interested in seeing Dr. Chal's dramatic implant success stories on his main web site.