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Laurence Bohan
Content Writer
Laurence Bohan
Content Writer

Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.

Dental implants are often considered the best treatment for missing teeth. They offer a more permanent solution than bridges and dentures and can provide decades of healthy functionality. Though implants have a high success rate, they can fail for several different reasons related to bone health, materials used and patient oral hygiene. The chances of implant success can be improved with the right technique, equipment and patient management.

What is the Success Rate of Dental Implants?

Dental implant surgery is one of the most successful dental procedures available, but failures still occur for many reasons. Studies have shown that somewhere between 3% and 5% of dental implants fail. This can occur immediately following the implant procedure, or months or years later. Success or failure depends primarily on the thickness and health of the bone and gingival tissues that surround the implant, but also on the health of the patient and the amount of stress that will be put on the implant and fixture during normal function. The most important factor related to implant success is primary implant stability.

What is Primary Implant Stability?

Implant stability relates to the stability of a dental implant in a patient’s bone tissue after implementation and during the process of bone regrowth into the implant (osseointegration). The stability of the implant immediately after placement into the bone is referred to as primary stability and the stability of the implant during osteointegration and the healing process is referred to as secondary stability. Primary stability is critical to implantation success. Insufficient primary stability, or high initial implant mobility, can lead to failure.

Why Else Do Dental Implants Fail

Dental implants can also fail for the following reasons:

  • Misalignment of the implant: When the implant doesn’t align with the bone, the crowns can look unnatural, the gums can recede and the implant becomes visible around the gum.
  • Impressions lack detail: If the impressions are not precise the replacement teeth may not fit properly.
  • Peri-implantis: inflammation of the tissue surrounding the dental implant, resulting in infection and potential bone loss. Patients most at risk of this are smokers and those with bad oral hygiene.
  • Failure of the implant: It is possible for the metal implant itself to become loose. This can cause the implant to fracture.
  • Trauma: a blow to the jaw or injury to the implant area could cause it to come loose or fall out.
  • Medical conditions: Conditions such as diabetes, gum disease, or cancer may slow the healing process following implant surgery.
  • Excessive heating of the bone during drilling: Avoid excessive temperature generation during surgical drilling. Temperatures more than 47 °C can result in osseous necrosis.
  • Old implants: Implants placed many years ago may simply have worn out and need replacing.
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