What Is Peri-Implantitis And How Serious Is It?
Peri-implantitis begins as a bacterial infection that forms around dental implants. In many ways, it is similar to gum disease in that it causes damage to the gums and teeth around it. In the early stages of Peri-Implantitis, the symptoms are relatively mild. Often you will notice inflammation and sensitivity around the gums. The longer the infection goes untreated, however, the more serious the side effects become. Ultimately, dental implants can be lost and bone structure damaged.
It is crucial to have an experienced and detail-oriented Periodontist oversee your dental implant procedures from start to finish. At Dental Partners of Boston, we go to great lengths to minimize bacterial exposure during procedures. Our definition of success is not just having you walk out of our office with a great smile, but being happy with that smile for years to come.
Why Choose Us
We are a group of award-winning dentists that covers a full range of specialties.
Our dynamic team approach guarantees you the very best care we have to offer.
We are all committed to excellence and exceeding the expectations of our patients.
What To Watch For After Dental Implants?
If you have had dental implant work done outside of a Dental Partners of Boston office or within, it is essential to be aware of the risks associated with dental implants. While it is rare for our patients to experience post-op infections, a variety of circumstances can introduce harmful bacteria into the gums around dental implants. Knowing what to watch out for and scheduling a consultation as soon as you notice any of these symptoms will significantly improve your chances of a healthy recovery.
- Inflammation causes redness, swelling, and pain in the gum tissue around the implants.
- Receding gum line. The “pocket” of gum that the implant has been placed into grows bigger and deeper.
- Exposure or visibility of the implant threads.
- Loosening of the implant.
- Pus discharge from within the gums around the implant. It may be a very unpleasant taste rather than something you see.
- Bone deterioration is usually unseen but painful. It often feels like soreness in the jaw.
- Bleeding occurs when the gums are infected. There are no situations where bleeding gums are healthy or to be expected.
- Swollen or tender lymph nodes around the neck or armpits.
If you feel that your daily life is being affected by pain or discomfort around your dental implants, call us immediately to schedule an appointment. Pain or sensitivity while chewing, drinking, exercising, or moving your head into different positions, headaches, soreness, or stiffness in the jaw is not healthy. These symptoms may indicate a problem and need to be looked at by a Periodontist as soon as possible.
It is important to remember that while these symptoms are real risks, they only happen when peri-implantitis is left untreated for significant amounts of time. When caught early and provided adequate supervision from a competent dentist, peri-implantitis can be treated before it ever causes undue discomfort or embarrassment.
My doctor brought in the Endodontist and Oral Surgeon in a carefully choreographed treatment plan that was thoroughly discussed and approved by me after explanations about the rationale and timing. Do not hesitate to pick up the phone and put your teeth in the hands of Dental Partners.
What Are The Causes Of Peri-Implantitis?
There are three significant catalysts for peri-implantitis:
Prior Disease
Patients affected by a disease that affects the whole body are at a higher risk to peri-implantitis. If you have diabetes or another systemic illness, consult with your dentist about dental implants. At Dental Partners of Boston, we understand how these diseases affect peri-implantitis, and we can adjust our treatment accordingly. Additionally, if patients have ever had a different type of mouth infection similar to peri-implantitis – they may be at a higher risk. Bring it to your dentist’s attention if you have ever contracted periodontitis extensive gum disease or other bacterial mouth infections.
Oral Hygiene
Peri-implantitis is caused primarily by bacteria and food particles that gradually accumulate around dental implants and gum lines. Careful and consistent dental care is needed in order to minimize and eliminate harmful pathogens, which are found in plaque and tartar. As with most other dental conditions, peri-implantitis can be made worse by smoking, alcohol, and drug use. Consult your Periodontist for more information on how to adopt healthy dental habits.
Parafunctional Habits
These are involuntary habits you may have. They can be due to malformation of part of your body or a nervous tick. They can even occur unconsciously during sleep. Habits like grinding your teeth in your sleep, poorly positioning your teeth when your jaw is closed, nail-biting, and others.
A healthy smile can be a great asset.
A smile also has other day-to-day benefits.
How Is Peri-Implantitis Treated?
At Dental Partners of Boston, our long-term goal is to stop the progression of bone loss and keep your implants in place. In addition to thorough cleaning of the infected area with the proper dental tools, your periodontist will often prescribe antibiotics to kill off the remaining unhealthy bacteria within your gums and bone. Antibiotics may also be applied directly to the implant itself.
Most severe cases of peri-implantitis require the removal of the implant and bone grafting to replace the damaged bone. To do this, traditionally your dentist needs to open your gums to fully cleanse the area of the infection. Before new bone can be grafted onto the implant, your Periodontist must be confident that all of the infection can be eliminated. Most often this means strong antibiotics.
Having a team of specialists from Dental Partners of Boston on your side who lead the industry in advanced procedures, techniques and methods can significantly improve your chances of success.
LAPIP Treatment for Peri-Implantitis
At Dental Partners of Boston, we offer a less-invasive treatment for peri-implantitis: LAPIP. This state-of-the-art laser therapy can selectively destroy the bacteria, diseased tissue, pathologic proteins, and titanium corrosion contaminants that cause peri-implantitis while leaving your healthy tissue intact. This helps you to heal quickly and maintain your dental implant investment.
LAPIP treatment is a patient-friendly solution, and studies show that 95% treated with LAPIP have displayed significant improvement. LAPIP gets rid of the infection and actually helps the bone to grow back.
After your investment in dental implants, it is important to take care of your oral health and avoid peri-implantitis. We are dedicated to helping you achieve the results that you desire with our excellent implant procedures and compassionate follow-up care.
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Can Any Periodontist Treat Peri-Implantitis?
Our team of Periodontist specialists treats many patients suffering from this condition. Unfortunately, many of our patients were treated by less skilled Periodontists or at “affordable” treatment centers. Correction of dental implants with issues should be performed by a dentist who routinely performs this procedure.
Occasionally we will find a loose abutment screw that may not have been appropriately placed, or broken. Patients with a heavy bite can cause this to happen. Heavy biters need to have their crowns appropriately designed by an experienced professional from the beginning to protect the implants. How the crown is made is extremely important to the longevity of the dental implant in the bone. Patients often view this step as minor, but it is significant. Some low-budget implants have poorly designed screws or have micro motion when you chew.
Call Today To Schedule A Consultation
The difference between experienced specialists and an average Periodontist cannot be understated. We encourage you to come in and visit with our friendly staff and see for yourself what a difference that can make. Our focus is on you and making sure you have the best possible treatment available in the greater Boston area. Your long-term well-being is our success. Schedule an appointment today.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DOCTORS
All our dentists have been listed as a Top Dentist in Boston Magazine.
Every year a carefully curated list is published with the best dentists in Boston, including general dentists and specialists like us in periodontics, endodontics, orthodontics, prosthodontics, and more. We’re honored to serve our patients together with an exceptional standard of care. Thank you!
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