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Saving Failing Implants – Treatment Options Explained

Worried about a loose, sore or bleeding dental implant? Bow Dental & Implants on Roman Road answers the questions patients ask most about saving a failing implant.

📍 629-631 Roman Road, Bow, London E3 | 🦷 Dental Implant Care | 🚇 Near Bow Church DLR

When an implant gives you trouble, you tend to be left with a handful of anxious questions. Is it serious? Does it need to come out? Will it hurt? Can it be fixed? Rather than a lecture on implant biology, this guide answers those questions directly, in the order patients usually ask them.

At Bow Dental & Implants on Roman Road, we see patients from Bow, Mile End, Bethnal Green, Stratford and across East London who are concerned about an implant. Here are the questions we hear most, and our honest answers.

Short answer: Many struggling implants can be saved if they are looked at early. Treatment ranges from a thorough clean to surgery and rebuilding of lost bone, and if an implant can’t be kept, it can usually be replaced after healing.

“How do I know whether my implant is failing?”

Often you won’t know for sure without an examination, but these are the warning signs:

• Bleeding or tenderness when cleaning around the implant
• Red, swollen or shiny gum
• A bad taste or persistent bad breath
• Pus, or a small spot on the gum
• Gum shrinking back so the implant looks longer
• Aching when you bite
• A crown or implant that feels loose

Early problems are often painless, which is why a symptom like occasional bleeding is worth getting checked even though it doesn’t hurt.

“What is actually going wrong?”

In most long-standing implants, the culprit is infection around the implant. When it affects only the gum, it is called peri-implant mucositis and is usually reversible. When it spreads to the supporting bone, it is called peri-implantitis, and bone is gradually lost.

Risk factors include plaque build-up, a history of gum disease, smoking, diabetes that isn’t well controlled, teeth grinding, and missed hygiene and check-up visits. Sometimes the cause is simpler: a loose crown or screw on an implant that is otherwise solid.

“Can it be saved?”

Often, yes, particularly when it is caught early. The right treatment depends on how far the problem has gone:

How well rebuilding works depends on the shape of the bone defect and how well the area is cleaned afterwards, so we’ll give you a realistic view of what is likely to work in your case.

“Is it going to hurt?”

Treatments are carried out under local anaesthetic, and we explain what to expect before we start. Many people find the idea worse than the reality. If something is causing you discomfort in the meantime, let us know when you book.

“What if the implant has to come out?”

It’s an understandable worry, but it isn’t the end of the story. After removal, the area is allowed to heal, bone can be rebuilt if needed, and a new implant can often be placed. Other options, such as an implant bridge or an implant-retained denture, can be considered too. Before replacing anything, we’ll try to establish why the first implant struggled, so the next one has the best chance of lasting.

“Can I stop it happening again?”

• Clean around implants daily with the brushes we recommend
• Keep your hygiene appointments and regular check-ups
• Stop smoking, or ask us for help
• Keep diabetes and other conditions well controlled
• Wear a night guard if you grind your teeth
• Report any bleeding, swelling or looseness promptly

“What happens at the first appointment?”

We’ll ask about your symptoms, medical history, smoking and any gum disease. We’ll examine the implant, the crown and the gum, checking for movement, bleeding, swelling and pocket depth. We’ll take X-rays and any further imaging that’s needed to see the bone around the implant. Then we’ll explain what we have found and what your options are, before you decide anything.

Finding Us on Roman Road

Bow Dental & Implants is at 629-631 Roman Road, close to Bow Church DLR station and within walking distance of Mile End and Bow Road Underground stations. Buses 25, 108, 205 and 425 serve the area, and there is half an hour of complimentary parking at a nearby petrol station. We are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

We welcome patients from Bow, Mile End, Bethnal Green, Old Ford, Bromley-by-Bow, Poplar, Stratford and Hackney Wick, and anyone who lives near Victoria Park or Roman Road Market, including those whose implants were placed elsewhere.

More Frequently Asked Questions