Implant Failure Management in Lakewood, WA

Discovering that a dental implant is failing can be a stressful experience for anyone in Lakewood or Tacoma. Whether it’s due to a loose feeling, persistent pain, or gum inflammation, a failing implant requires immediate, expert intervention to prevent further damage to your jawbone and surrounding teeth. At the office of Dr. Kevin Kim, DDS, we provide comprehensive Implant Failure Management. As a Dental Implant Periodontist, Dr. Kim doesn’t just treat the symptoms; he identifies the root cause of the failure and creates a strategic “rescue” or “recovery” plan to get your oral health back on track.

The first step in management is a detailed diagnosis using CBCT 3D Imaging. Dr. Kim looks for signs of Peri-implantitis (infection), mechanical stress, or poor integration with the bone. Depending on the severity of the situation, management may involve non-surgical treatments to save the implant or, in more advanced cases, a controlled removal to protect your remaining bone. By intervening early, we can often stop the progression of bone loss and save the investment you’ve made in your smile. For our patients at Dental Health Associates, we prioritize saving the existing implant whenever biologically possible.

Strategies for Managing Implant Issues

If an implant is struggling but still stable, Dr. Kim may employ several advanced techniques:

• Decontamination: Using specialized ultrasonic or laser tools to remove bacterial biofilm from the implant surface without scratching the titanium.
• Antimicrobial Therapy: Applying localized antibiotics directly to the infected “pocket” around the implant.
• Regenerative Surgery: If bone loss has occurred, Dr. Kim can perform a Bone Graft and use Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF) to encourage the jawbone to grow back around the existing post.
• Occlusal Adjustment: Sometimes an implant fails because it is hitting too hard against other teeth; Dr. Kim can adjust the “bite” to relieve this mechanical stress.

If the implant has lost too much support to be saved, management shifts to Safe Removal and Rebuilding. Dr. Kim uses minimally invasive techniques to remove the failed post while preserving every millimeter of healthy bone. This is often followed by Socket Preservation to prepare the site for a future, more successful replacement. Our goal is to ensure that even a dental setback like a failing implant becomes a manageable transition toward a healthy, functional mouth.

Understanding the risks and signs of failure is the best way to protect your health. You can learn more about the warning signs of implant trouble from the American Academy of Periodontology or the Mayo Clinic’s overview of implant complications. Dr. Kevin Kim and his team are the South Sound’s experts in navigating these complex situations with care and precision.