When an Implant Didn't Work Out
Pain, looseness, an infection that won't clear, a bite that's never felt right — if something's wrong with an implant placed elsewhere, we can take an honest look and help you understand what's actually going on.
What Counts as a Failed Implant?
Implant problems don't always look dramatic. Here are the signs worth taking seriously.
Looseness or Mobility
An implant that feels loose or shifts under pressure is a sign osseointegration hasn't held or is failing.
Ongoing Pain or Swelling
Persistent discomfort, swelling, or tenderness around an implant is never something to just live with.
Bone Loss Around the Implant (Peri-Implantitis)
An infection-driven condition where bone recedes around the implant — often gradual, and easy to miss until it's advanced.
Poor Positioning
An implant angled wrong from the start can cause bite problems, aesthetic issues, or strain that leads to later failure.
A Restoration That Never Fit Right
Some patients have lived with a bite, a gap, or a fit that's felt "off" since the day it was delivered.
Told It's "Just How Implants Are"
If a concern has been brushed off elsewhere, that's exactly the kind of case worth a second opinion.
Why Implants Fail
Insufficient Planning Before Surgery
Implants placed without thorough 3D imaging can end up positioned in bone that can't properly support them, or too close to a nerve, sinus, or adjacent tooth.
Rushing the Final Restoration
Delivering a final, permanent restoration before healing is complete can lock in a poor fit around tissue that's still changing shape — a common cause of long-term problems.
Insufficient Follow-Up Care
Implants need regular maintenance and monitoring. Without it, early signs of trouble — like the beginning of peri-implantitis — can go unnoticed until they're harder to treat.
Treatment Outside a Provider's Training
Full arch and complex implant cases call for specialty training beyond general dentistry. Cases planned or placed outside that training are more prone to complications.
Underlying Health Factors
Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, and untreated bruxism can all interfere with healing and long-term implant stability, even when placement itself was sound.
Total Rescue, in a Single Day
A full-mouth implant case that had failed almost entirely elsewhere — rebuilt from the ground up, in one visit.
Total Failure of a Prior Full Mouth Implant Case
This patient came in with an existing full-mouth implant case that had failed extensively. Imaging showed multiple implants had lost significant bone support — visible as clear bone-level loss around several implants in both arches, with some implants essentially unsupported.
Rather than trying to salvage individual implants, Dr. Jandali planned a complete rebuild: removal of all failing implants, management of the affected bone, and placement of ten new implants — a combination of conventional and specialized implants — across the upper and lower arches. The entire process, from removal to new implant placement, was completed in a single day.
Outcome: The patient went home the same day with a new temporary prosthesis loaded on all ten new implants — a full-mouth rebuild completed in a single visit, rather than a long series of separate procedures.
How We Approach a Rescue Case
A Full, Honest Evaluation
A new CBCT scan and exam establish exactly what's happening — what's salvageable, what isn't, and why the original treatment may have run into trouble.
A Clear Explanation, Not Just a Recommendation
Dr. Jandali walks through what he's seeing and why, so you understand the situation — not just what to do about it.
A Plan Built Around What's Actually Needed
Some rescue cases need a full redo. Others need something more targeted. The plan reflects your specific situation, not a one-size-fits-all response.
Correction, Done Right the Second Time
With in-house digital lab capabilities and careful planning, corrections are treated with the same care as any first-time case — not rushed to just get it over with.
Not Sure If Something's Actually Wrong?
Our Second Opinion page covers how we evaluate complex and failed cases — including cases turned away or dismissed elsewhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always — it depends on how much bone support remains and what caused the failure. Sometimes the implant itself can be saved with treatment; other times it needs to be removed and replaced. A CBCT scan and evaluation will make that clear.
That's a common situation we see. We'll evaluate the case on its own merits — regardless of who placed it originally — and let you know what your options actually are.
In many cases, yes, especially if caught before too much bone loss has occurred. That's part of why ongoing maintenance visits matter — catching it early makes a real difference.
It's very rarely too late to at least understand what's going on and what your options are. We'd rather you come in and find out than continue living with something that isn't right.
Let's Find Out What's Actually Going On
A free consultation and CBCT scan will give you real answers — not guesswork — about what's happening and what can be done.
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