New Mexico Dental Journal Spring 2015

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New Mexico Dental Journal, Spring 2015 18
Another reason implants can fail after
integration (“late term failure”) is due to
poor oral hygiene. Research has shown
that active periodontal disease and
periodontal pockets are risk factors for
peri-implant disease and implant loss
(Heitz-Mayfield and coworkers 2014).
Therefore, it is important to teach
patients that plaque and tartar buildup
(Figure 14) can lead to peri-implantitis,
which can lead to implant failure. It is
our responsibility as clinicians to design
the implant prothesis so that it is highly
polished and easily cleansable. Addition-
ally, routine annual recall examinations
are recommended to maintain implants
in a healthy state and catch a problem
before it leads to long-term damage.
In conclusion, following some basic
principles of planning, design and
maintenance can help avoid some of these
common dental implant complications.
Fig 14—Example of poor at-home care of
dental implants. The patient is not cleaning
them which is leading to tartar buildup
and bone loss around the implants.
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Five Common Implant Complications, continued