Dental implants are a permanent and natural-looking solution for missing teeth, but they are not unsusceptible to failure over time. While implants will often last for decades, there are a few things that can cause an unexpected need for implant removal. Here are three risk factors that can lead to dental implant failure.

Poor Dental Hygiene

Just like your natural teeth, dental implants need daily care to prevent the buildup of harmful plaque and bacteria. Peri-implantitis is an infection that occurs when bacteria inflame the gum and bone tissue around the base of the implant. The affected tissues around the implant will recede over time, causing it to loosen and possibly require removal.

The risk of peri-implantitis is minimal if you maintain good dental hygiene. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day greatly reduces the amount of plaque that builds up around your teeth and implants. Many dentists also recommend that you use an interdental brush when cleaning around the implant. Interdental brushes have small, conical heads that can more effectively clean between the implant and adjacent teeth.

Smoking

Smoking has a number of negative effects on your oral health, and it can have just as much of a negative impact on dental implants as it does on natural teeth. Smoking reduces the ability of the salivary glands to produce saliva, which plays an important role in washing food particles and bacteria off of the teeth.

Smoking also hinders blood flow to oral tissues, which in turn reduces the amount of oxygen these tissues receive. A lack of oxygen in oral tissues makes them less capable of fighting infections and will lead to gum and jawbone recession that can loosen implants.

Excessive Force

Dental implants hold up very well to the forces of chewing and other natural uses of the teeth and gums. Unfortunately, it is possible for excessive force to damage or dislocate implants. Sudden impacts from sports injuries and other sources can cause immediate damage to implants, while factors such as teeth grinding can wear down crowns and loosen implants over the long term.

Visit your dentist to have your implants inspected for damage if you suffer an impact to the teeth, if your partner informs you that you grind your teeth at night, or if you have other signs of teeth grinding such as a sore jaw and headaches in the mornings.

If you have dental implants installed, try to avoid these three risk factors so you can keep your implants in good condition for years to come. To find out more, speak with a business like Dental Services Of Rochester.