A wobbly implant tooth, bleeding or swelling around an implant, or a chipped implant crown. What is actually loose, what can be fixed, and when an implant has to be replaced.
Bring any records from the clinic that placed your implant, such as the implant card, X-rays or notes. They help identify the system.
Often, yes. A loose implant crown is usually a loose screw or abutment, which can be tightened or replaced. Gum inflammation around an implant caught early is reversible with cleaning. If the implant itself moves, it has usually lost its bond with the bone and needs removing; after healing, and grafting if required, a new one can often be placed. At Creative Arts in Dubai the cause is diagnosed first.
An implant tooth has three parts: the implant in the bone, the abutment through the gum, and the crown. Which part moves decides the repair.
Common and usually fixable
A restoration problem
The fixture moves in the bone
A few days of discomfort after surgery is expected. These signs are not, especially months or years later.
Early failure: the bone never bonds to the implant. Late failure: a stable implant loses its support.
In the months after placement the bone fails to bond to the implant. Infection, movement during healing, poor bone quality and smoking raise the risk.
Plaque causes inflammation that, untreated, destroys the supporting bone. This is the most common reason a previously stable implant fails.
Clenching, grinding or a crown that takes too much of the bite loosens screws, chips ceramic and stresses the bone.
A crown that does not seat accurately traps plaque; an awkwardly angled implant is hard to clean and load evenly.
Smoking, uncontrolled diabetes and a history of gum disease all increase the risk of bone loss around implants.
Implants do not decay, but the gum and bone around them can become inflamed much as around natural teeth.
Peri-implant mucositis affects the gum only: bleeding, redness and swelling, with no bone loss on the X-ray. It is reversible; professional cleaning and better home care usually settle it.
Peri-implantitis has spread to the bone, so bone is being lost around the implant. Signs include deeper pockets, bleeding or pus, and receding gum. Treatment aims to stop the infection and keep the remaining bone, which does not reliably grow back by itself, so early detection matters. Gum health around teeth and implants is managed with our gum treatment service.
Nothing is removed or replaced until the cause is clear.
When and where it was placed, what has changed, and records from the original clinic.
First visitGum condition, pocket depths, bleeding or pus, the bite, and which part moves.
First visitAn X-ray shows bone levels; a CBCT scan is used where needed to see the bone in 3D or plan re-treatment.
Where neededRecords, X-ray appearance and the connection type help identify which components fit.
Before repairOptions from simplest to most involved, with alternatives, in writing before you decide.
Before treatmentFrom simplest to most involved; the examination decides which applies.
| Treatment | When it is used | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Tighten or replace the screw | Loose crown or abutment, stable implant | Access the screw, retighten or renew it, adjust the bite |
| Replace the crown or bridge | Cracked, chipped or poorly fitting restoration | A new restoration made for the existing implant |
| Cleaning and gum treatment | Peri-implant mucositis, no bone loss | Professional cleaning suited to the implant surface, plus home-care changes |
| Peri-implantitis management | Bone loss, implant still stable | Non-surgical or surgical cleaning of the implant surface, decided case by case |
| Remove and re-place | Implant moves or too much bone is lost | Removal, healing, bone grafting if needed, then a new implant later |
Healing before a new implant usually takes several months, longer after a graft. See the bone grafting and sinus lift guide.
Repairing an implant placed elsewhere depends on identifying the implant system and obtaining compatible components. Records from the original clinic help greatly; if parts cannot be sourced, your plan sets out the alternatives. See dental treatment from abroad.
When the implant is sound but the tooth on it is chipped, ill-fitting or the wrong shade, the restoration can be remade. Creative Art Dental Lab, in the same building as the clinic, makes the new crown, bridge or full-arch prosthesis, and the technician can check shade and fit in person. The lab belongs to Creative Art Group, whose CEO is dental technician Basem Tobaji. Clinical assessment and treatment are by your dentist.
Most late implant problems have a manageable cause.
Interdental brushes or implant-friendly floss daily; plaque at that join drives inflammation.
Check-ups and professional cleaning catch mucositis before it becomes peri-implantitis.
A custom night guard reduces the load on implant crowns and screws while you sleep.
Both raise the risk of bone loss around implants.
Assessment and treatment are carried out by the treating dentist, who plans any repair, removal or re-placement.
No. A healthy, integrated implant does not move. Movement is often the crown or abutment screw loosening, which is usually fixable. If the implant itself moves, it has lost its bond with the bone. Either way, avoid chewing on it and arrange an examination soon.
Warning signs include movement, pain when biting, swelling, bleeding or pus, and gum shrinking back to show metal. Some implants lose bone gradually with few symptoms, so reviews matter. Only an examination and X-ray can confirm whether the implant has failed or a component needs attention.
Early gum inflammation around an implant (mucositis) is reversible with cleaning. Once bone loss has started, treatment aims to control the infection and stop further loss; lost bone does not reliably regrow by itself. If too much bone has gone, removing the implant may be the safer option.
Avoid chewing on that side and contact the clinic during opening hours, daily from 10:00 to 20:00. Do not glue or tighten it yourself. If the crown has come off, keep it in a clean container and bring it. The implant underneath is often unaffected.
Often, but it depends on identifying the implant system and obtaining compatible components such as screws and abutments. Implant cards, X-rays and notes from the original clinic help a great deal. Your dentist explains what is possible after the assessment.
Late pain can come from peri-implantitis, a loose screw or crown, overload from grinding, or a neighbouring tooth. It is not something to wait out. An examination and X-ray show whether the bone around the implant has changed and which part is responsible.
Tell us what you would like to change. The clinic replies within working hours with an appointment time.
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