Implants are a highly effective means of replacing lost teeth. At the Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania in the Philadelphia area, we regularly see patients through the entire process of implant placement, osseointegration, and crown placement. But like natural teeth, implants need to be cared for, or else patients run the risk of developing inflammation or peri-implantitis.
The gum pockets are great places for bacteria to hide. As they feed, they produce acid that gets stuck to plaque, resulting in decay. But bacteria also inhabit the gum pockets of teeth that have been replaced by prosthetics and may cause inflammation there, as well. As with natural teeth, infected gums will swell and bleed, and prolonged exposure to acid can erode the metal implant post.
At its worst, peri-implantitis can dissolve the bone holding implants in place. This outcome is particularly unfortunate because an implant needs to be removed if it becomes mobile or more than 10% of the surrounding jaw tissue is lost in the first year after placement. However, if the infection can be caught in time and reversed, implants can stimulate the production of new jaw bone growth.
The Oral Surgery Consultants of Pennsylvania operate in Philadelphia, Folsom, and Clifton Heights. Visit Oral Surgery PA or call 215-463-4141.
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