When An Implant Fails

There are two major reasons for implant failure: postimplant infection and failure to achieve primary stability.  Treat the infected implant as an infected tooth: remove the infected implant.  The infection will resolve. When a failed implant is removed if indicated, explore the implant site.  If there is no gross bony wall defect, a larger and/or longer implant can be placed immediately after thorough site debridement, followed by antibiotic soaking. 

Implant Re-Placement can be delayed or immediate.

# Delayed Outcome   Immediate Outcome
12 No Primary Stability Succeed 13 Change to Wider, Longer, Cylindrical Implant  
2 Implant smaller than socket No Return 3 Failure due to non-immediate Succeed
4 Post-implant Infection Sinus Lift 18 Low Insertion Torque Redo  
30 Design Place Graft Submerge Uncover 10 Low Torque, Immed. load Redo
13 Narrow Mesiodistal Space 1 Piece, 2 Piece 18 Shallow Placement Redo
13 1 Piece, Why Delayed?   21 Immediate Fails Why
2 Immediate bone graft   18 Insidious Infection, Soft Bone  
31 From 1 stage to 2 stage   6 Possible Buccal Plate Perforation Fibrointegration
      19 Periimplantitis-Induced Abscess Immediate Replacement

Return to Immediate Implant Introduction

Xin Wei, DDS, PhD, MS 1st edition 03/29/2013, last revision 02/14/2018