There are many wonderful qualities attributed to dental implants with regards to how much having dental implants placed can improve one’s quality of life, whether that be through restoring the types of foods a person can enjoy or the psychological benefits that come with having a bright, healthy looking smile. On a more practical note, dental implants also have a very high success rate and are not prone to failure. All the same, dental implants, much like your natural teeth, can develop periodontal disease if proper oral hygiene habits are not followed, due to unhealthy lifestyle choices or if the implant was not placed properly to begin with.
Peri-implantitis disease may occur when the hard and soft tissues that surround your implant become infected due to bacteria accumulating along the base of the implant and gum line. This excess bacteria, which can develop due to poor oral hygiene, smoking, having a history of periodontitis, or due to an underlying health condition such as diabetes, will cause inflammation and will irritate the gum tissue. To learn more about peri-implantitis diseases, what signs to look out for, and what steps you can take to prevent peri-implantitis disease from developing, please refer to the following.
Peri-Implantitis Diseases
There are two stages of peri-implant disease: peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. Peri-implant mucositis is the early stage of peri-implant disease and does not affect the supporting bone, only the soft tissues that surround the dental implant. If peri-mucositis is not treated, it will eventually progress to peri-implantitis. At this stage, the bone that is supporting the dental implant will start to be affected in addition to the soft tissues around the implant. If this issue is not treated quickly enough, the implant can fail due to the loss of too much bone.
This inflammatory process occurs due to glycoproteins adhering to surfaces of the titanium, which forms a biofilm that causes an infection. It is estimated that peri-implant mucositis will occur in approximately half of all patients, although the real number may be much higher, as many cases may not be reported. Frequency of peri-implantitis is also significantly more likely among patients who smoke. Fortunately, if identified at the peri-implant mucositis stage, the biofilm that has formed on the implant surfaces can typically be removed and the implant can be saved.
Peri-implant disease can be diagnosed during a clinical examination, during which your periodontist will use a probe to measure the depth of your pockets. If the pockets are deeper than 4 mm, this indicates that peri-implant disease has developed. Common signs of peri implant disease include:
- Sensitivity and bleeding on probing
- Edema
- Hyperplasia
- Redness
- Pus discharge from the implant site
- Gum recession
To determine a diagnosis of peri-implantitis, it will be necessary to compare baseline radiographs from the time of your initial placement. If this radiograph indicates 2 mm of bone loss or more, this is a strong indication that peri-implantitis has developed.
If you are exhibiting any of the common signs of peri-implantitis, such as tender gums or gums that are aching, swelling and redness of the soft tissue, a persistent bad taste in your mouth, swollen lymph nodes, or gums that bleed easily, or if it has been more than six months since you have been seen by your periodontist, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.