Mary H. Lewis, DDS

Late failure happens long after the dental implants have been established and functioning. This failure occurs between 1-10 years after your new teeth are placed.

There are a few common reasons why implants can fail at this stage:

• The procedure was “under-engineered”. There are too few implants supporting the teeth, which caused excessive stress to the implants.
• Clenching and grinding teeth. If the patient has bruxism and they do not proactively control this issue with behavioral modifications and a night guard, the dental implants can also endure too much pressure and fail.
• Poor oral hygiene. This leads to gum disease and other infections.
• Lack of gum tissue. This particularly pertains to the thick attached gum tissue that provides the seal around the implants. Chronic metabolic diseases like diabetes can make one at a higher risk of late failure.
• Head and neck  radiation. Irradiated patients have been reported in studies to have an increased risk of dental implant failure.
• Lack of bone to support the implant. When excessive bone is lost, bacteria can invade and settle on the implant’s rough surface, becoming a petri dish for bacteria. The location of bacteria is difficult for your body to purge and often this kind of infection will result in the removal of the implant if left unchecked or untreated.
• Food impacted around the implant. This can break down the seal around the implant, causing discomfort, pain, and infection.
• Bacterial infections. If bacteria is getting under the gum and causing an infection, you will need to insert a tiny ligament in the gum tissue to seal this area around your teeth and implants can help prevent this problem from persisting. There are especially fewer ligaments around implants compared to natural teeth, so this procedure can help prevent future infections.

Yes it is okay to have pasta and butter after whitening. You will want to stay away from dark stainings foods and drinks for a day or so. Once you do have them be sure to brush after to avoid unwanted staining.