Bone loss around newly placed implant: What are my options?

Question:

I had an extraction and an implant placed the same day.  Now after waiting 4 months for healing, I have severe bone loss around the implant and the top of the implant is exposed.  What can I do?

Answer:

As a general rule, if the bone loss is minimal, you can restore a dental implant or try to graft around it by decontaminating the implant surface with chemical agents or laser energy.  In our office we use the waterlase laser for implant surface decontamination.  But if the bone loss is moderate or severe, it is recommended to remove the implant and then come back at a later time when the tissues have healed and place a new implant.  The new implant should heal covered by the soft tissues uneventfuly and can be restored 4 to 5 months later.

Trying to save the implant by decontaminating the surface may sound appealing, but it is not a predictable procedure, so if your dentist is suggesting removing the implant and starting over, it might be the best thing to do.

Implant Dentist in West Palm Beach
Carlos Boudet, DDS  DICOI
1840 Forest Hill Blvd, Suite 204
West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
Phone: Call 561-968-6022

Website: http://www.boudetdds.com
Blog: http://www.mywestpalmbeachdentist.blogspot.com
Spanish Website: http://www.palmbeachdentist.net

About Carlos Boudet, DDS, DICOI

Dr. Boudet is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia. After graduating with a DDS degree in 1980, he became a commissioned officer for the United States Public Health Service. When his tour of duty ended in 1982 he received an award for outstanding service. He was asked to serve as Dental Director for Florida Community Heath Centers, supervise the operation of four dental clinics around lake Okeechobee. He established his dental practice in West Palm Beach in 1983 and has been in the same location for 30 years. He is a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, a member of the Central Palm Beach County Dental Society and a chairman of the Advanced Crown and Bridge course of the Atlantic Coast Dental Research Clinic. His articles on prosthodontics and implants have been published in several popular dental magazines.

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