What is peri-implantitis?

Peri Implantitis is a destructive inflammatory response your body undertakes when the soft or hard tissues around a dental implant become infected. Poor oral hygiene or low-quality dental implants can cause this inflammation.

When this occurs, the gums and bone structure around the dental implant become inflamed due to bacteria finding its way into the cavity between the implant and the abutment (the screw that receives the implant).

Dental Implants Infection Symptoms

What are the symptoms of peri-implantitis? There are a number of signs that can suggest you are suffering from dental implants infection symptoms caused by peri-implantitis. These symptoms can include:

  • A loose implant
  • Bad breath or a bad taste in the mouth
  • Difficulty chewing
  • Pain or fever
  • Pus or bleeding in the mouth
  • Swollen gums

The signs for peri-implantitis are similar to those of gum disease. These include red or tender gums around the implant and bleeding when brushing your teeth. Regardless of whether you have dental implants of natural teeth, regular brushing and flossing — combined with regular check-ups — will help minimise dental issues from arising. Contact our dental clinic today for a regular check-up or to assess any pain or swelling in your mouth.

How common is peri-implantitis? This disease is far more common than you might think. If you have had a dental implant for five or more years,  you are at  greater risk of  developing peri-implantitis. If symptoms are left untreated, the infection may lead to a loss of the implant. Regular dental check-ups will prevent issues like peri-implantitis from developing.

Patients that fail to maintain a proper level of oral hygiene will begin to experience a build-up of plaque around their teeth and gum tissue. When this occurs, the plaque can cause bone loss and inflammation around the peri-implant soft tissue.

If you have a dental implant, you are at a higher risk of inflammation. This is because  natural teeth, in most instances, sit flush against your gums. Dental implants cannot attach easily to your gums, and allowing bacteria to enter these gaps, causing peri-implantitis.

The following risk factors can lead to a higher chance of peri implantitis and dental implants infection symptoms:

  • Diabetes
  • Genetics
  • Lack of maintenance (not visiting the dentist regularly)
  • Periodontitis
  • Poor plaque control (not brushing and flossing properly)
  • Systematic health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and rheumatoid arthritis

If you have had a previous periodontal disease, smoke, maintain poor plaque control or have diabetes, you may be at risk. Do not let a dental implants infection symptom become worse. Book an appointment with our clinic as soon as you experience pain or swelling to discover if you have any underlying issues.

How to Care for Your Dental Implant?

As with natural teeth, taking care of your dental implant is important — especially if you have had the implant for many years or have previously had infected dental implants. In order to prevent the implant from developing a build-up of plaque, maintain a proper oral hygiene routine.

  • Brush twice daily and floss once a day.
  • Depending on the number and location of your implants, oral hygiene aids may help prevent the disease. Always speak to your doctor for the best advice.
  • Regularly visit your dentist for check-ups and cleaning.
  • Quit smoking and other habits that can lead to implant failure.
  • If you have had periodontal gum disease or suffer from diabetes, you are likely at risk. Speak to your doctor about the best ways to maintain oral health.

Peri-Implantitis Treatment

Each patient will have a different level of severity to peri-implantitis. As such, the peri-implantitis treatment option may differ. The treatment options for peri-implantitis can differ significantly. Tooth implant infection treatment can include one or more of the following:

Mechanical debridement

Mechanical debridement involves the professional removal of plaque and tartar by one of our qualified dentists. While this tooth implant infection treatment removes some of the bacteria, it cannot remove all of it. Often, this treatment is used in conjunction with other peri implantitis treatment options such as antiseptic, antibiotic or surgical treatments.

Antiseptic treatments

The antiseptic treatments are typically applied to the mouth and gums over a period of 3–4 weeks on a regular basis. This can be done through a daily rinse or gel provided by our dentists. Antiseptic treatments help to limit plaque build-up. However, this treatment option is not recommended for long-term use. The side effects can include teeth staining and an altered taste sensation.

Antibiotic treatment

This peri-implantitis treatment involves targeting the bacteria build-up with the use of antibiotics. Antibiotic treatment is often used in the last 10 days of the antiseptic process to treat the infection and prevent peri implantitis from occurring again.

Surgical treatment

Peri-implantitis treatment can also be treated using a surgical operation. This is done once the infection is under control and managed. The tooth implant infection treatment restores and regenerates lost bone and can reshape the peri-implant soft tissue.

We offer the latest therapies in trying to combat implant related diseases including, LAPIP and Galvosurgery in some cases we can actually re-graft and build new bone around your old implant to make it as good as the day it was first placed

Peri-Implantitis Treatment Cost

The peri-implantitis treatment cost can vary depending on the number of treatment options used. One of the more expensive treatments is the Laser Peri-Implantitis Treatment (LAPIP). It involves using a laser treatment to save the failing infected dental implants.

This treatment involves disinfecting the dental implant using a laser by creating a healing clot around the implant. Your body’s natural healing ability will produce bone around the implant and stabilise it. This peri implantitis treatment cost can be in excess of $3,000. However, it is cheaper than replacing the entire dental implant.

There are also a number of other non-surgical peri-implantitis treatments that cost a fraction of the price of the laser treatment. If you have infected dental implants, please contact our clinic today to discuss the best possible treatment for you.