You may have heard horror stories—people spending thousands on dental implants only for them to fail, causing pain, frustration, and regret. Bad dental implants can turn what should be a life-changing procedure into a nightmare.
But do dental implants really fail that often? And if they do, why? The truth is, while implant failure is rare—especially with an experienced provider—it does happen. The good news? Most failures are preventable.
Understanding why implants fail and how to avoid getting bad dental implants can save you from unnecessary pain, frustration, and added costs. Let’s dive into the key reasons dental implants fail and how you can give yours the greatest shot at success.
*Actual NUVIA patient(s) who may have been compensated for sharing their story. Not all those who come in for a consultation are eligible for this treatment. Results may vary in individual cases.
Dental Implant Complications and Risk Factors
Not all dental implants are created equal. Their success depends on both you and your provider. Here are the top risk factors for failure:
Risk Factors of Dental Implant Failure
Lack of Proper Care at Home: Once your dental implants are placed, your job isn’t over. Poor oral hygiene can lead to inflammation, which may contribute to causing implant failure.
Dr. Paola Annoni explains, “[A]ny level of inflammation can lead to the implants not integrating.”
What to do: Brush, floss, and follow your dentist’s dental implant aftercare instructions.
Diabetes and other conditions: Your overall health affects dental implant success. Uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and osteoporosis can have a big impact on healing.
Dr. Annoni shares a case where a patient had a great blood sugar level before surgery but let it skyrocket post-surgery by not taking their medication. Their dental implants failed as a result.
What to do: Take care of your health, take medications as prescribed, and keep your dental team in the loop.
Smoking: Smoking is a huge contributor behind bad dental implants. Dr. Annoni shares about a patient who assumed he didn’t need to stop smoking. His dental implants began to fail before he was able to get help, quit, and get healthier.
Smoking restricts blood flow, slows healing, and increases the risk of infection.
What to do: Quit smoking before getting dental implants, and don’t pick it back up again.
Poor Planning or an Inexperienced Surgeon: Not all dental providers are the same.
“An individual implant, although it also requires proper planning in order for it to integrate properly and give you good long term success, is just one single point.
The full mouth dental implants takes a lot more coordination, not just from the surgeon, but a surgeon working closely together with their restorative doctor” Dr. Annoni explains.
Mistakes in placement, angulation, or bite alignment may lead to failure.
What to do: Choose an experienced provider who isn’t doing full mouth dental implants all on their own. If you can find an oral surgeon and restorative dentist working together (along with a CRNA!), you benefit from all of their combined experience.
Problems That Can Occur After Dental Implant Surgery
Even when implants are placed correctly, there is still a possibility of complications. Here are some issues that aren’t caused by bad dental implants but can still show up after surgery:
Infection
If not properly cared for, bacteria can enter the surgical site, leading to swelling, pain, and potential implant failure.
Symptoms: Swelling, redness, pus, fever.
Solution: Typically, antibiotics but be sure to immediately follow-up with your provider who can advise on next steps.
Nerve or Tissue Damage
If a dental implant is placed too close to a nerve, there is a chance it can cause numbness, tingling, or persistent pain.
Solution: If you feel ongoing discomfort, contact your provider immediately.
Sinus Issues (For Upper Implants)
Improper placement of upper dental implants can irritate your sinuses, leading to congestion or potentially sinus infections.
Solution: Work with a restorative dentist and an oral surgeon who can properly plan for dental implants and make sure they are positioned safely in pre-surgical imaging.
Signs of Bad Dental Implants & What You Should Do
- Pain: Some discomfort after surgery is normal, but sharp, persistent pain isn’t.
- Looseness: Dental implants should feel rock-solid. If they move, something is wrong.
- Numbness: Lingering numbness could signal nerve involvement.
Step 1: Contact Your Provider Immediately
If you experience any of these signs, don’t wait. Getting help early on may save your implants.
Step 2: Follow Proper Dental Implant Aftercare
- Maintain good oral hygiene.
- Avoid chewing hard foods on implants until fully healed. For many Nuvia patients, this is around the 4 month mark. Prior to that, patients are asked to stick to a soft-food diet in the meantime.
- Attend all follow-up appointments.
- Report any discomfort or changes ASAP.
How to Avoid Getting Bad Dental Implants
One key way to prevent dental implant failure? Choose the right provider.
Nuvia’s Team Approach
At Nuvia you don’t just trust your smile to one provider. You have 3 highly-experienced individuals working to keep you comfortable and safe during the procedure, precisely place your dental implants, and give you a custom-fit and created set of new teeth.
Here is who is on your team:
- An Oral Surgeon
- A Restorative Dentist
- A CRNA
If you want to avoid a bad dental implants story, be sure you have a highly experienced provider (or better, providers)
Industry-Leading Success Rate
From 2022 to 2024, Nuvia full mouth dental implants had a 99.13% success rate—outperforming the 98.3% success rate of dental implants from other providers in another large study (1). This is in part because of Nuvia’s team approach and the tried and true Permanent teeth in 24 hours.
The ability to offer permanent teeth in 24 hours comes from a decade of research and is now changing thousands of patients' lives.
See if you may be a candidate for permanent teeth in 24 hours with the 60-second quiz
Source: (1) Pjetursson, B. E., Thoma, D., Jung, R., Zwahlen, M., & Zembic, A. (2012). A systematic review of the survival and complication rates of implant-supported fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) after a mean observation period of at least 5 years. Clinical Oral Implants Research, 23(Suppl 6), 22-38.
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