I Chipped My Dental Implant – Is It Serious? What Can I Do?

Dental implants are durable and can survive for decades or even lifetimes. The first modern dental implant lasted a lifetime.

Bondi Dental specialises in dental implants and has competent dentists who can help you use this great technology.

We can repair your smile and bite to ensure continued oral and general health.

Dental implants often comprise titanium and porcelain to closely mimic a natural tooth’s look, feel, and function.

But implants are not indestructible. Just like your natural teeth, your implants can chip, break, or fall out if they are damaged by trauma or poor care. What happens then?

Do tooth implants break?

If you are considering a tooth implant or have already received one, it is reasonable to wonder how strong the implant is and how durable and long-lasting it will be.

You may wonder if a tooth implant can break or fracture. Are there differences in the strength and potential of damage between the three components – the fixture, abutment, or crown?

If you wonder where tooth implants break, you might think that the actual artificial tooth (the crown on top) is most at risk since it is the most exposed.

However, breakage, looseness, or other problems can affect the artificial tooth (crown), the implant fixture, and the abutment.

Your dental implant is sturdy, but if you apply enough force, there is a risk of trauma, damage, and loosening.

How are implants damaged?

The first possible damage comes from poor dental technique. If an implant is not placed correctly, it can have trouble bonding with the bone, making it more likely to work its way out simply.

Fortunately, we are skilled at implant dentistry, so this should not be a problem. Our ability to properly evaluate the situation and plan your implant helps us prevent this from happening.

Much more likely is a broken crown. This can happen because you bit into something hard or suffered some trauma, basically, all the same things that break or damage natural teeth.

This is why you shouldn’t use teeth or implants as tools to chew on pens, pencils, or ice.

How are implants fixed?

If the post is broken or out, it needs to be removed and replaced. In some cases, bone grafts may be needed before a replacement implant.

If you need a bone graft, it will be a few months before your replacement implant can be placed in your jaw. We will discuss this a bit more when we lose dental implants.

If an abutment breaks, we need to replace only the broken parts of the implant, not the implant (post) itself.

When a crown cracks or breaks, we’ll take a mould of your mouth in our office. Moulds are used to manufacture crowns that fit the space in your mouth and look entirely natural.

Can you replace loose dental implants? Yes, but the process is complicated because the implant typically needs to be removed.

What is the replacement process?

You will most likely require surgery to remove your implant. The area will also be cleaned, and the jawbone will be grafted. This all takes place under anaesthesia so that you will feel no pain and little discomfort.

Your recovery often feels similar to the initial implantation, meaning discomfort, swelling, and soreness may occur. OTC painkillers, ice packs, and a limited diet can help.

If you received a bone graft, you must be careful not to apply pressure to the area. This may mean a longer period of food restriction.

If one implant is loose or damaged, does it mean my other implants are in danger?

Most likely not. Dental implants have a 99% success rate. It is rare enough for a single implant to break or fail, so if one is damaged, your others are likely fine.

If you had an injury or impact that caused an implant to fail, you should have your dentist examine all your teeth and implants to ensure the trauma did not affect them.

The best way to keep your implants healthy and address any damage early is to see us frequently!

Dental Implants Management in Bondi

Bondi Dental is in the Eastern Suburbs—Bondi Beach, Bondi, in Sydney. Our skilled dental professionals have over 60 years of total experience in all areas of dentistry.

We provide high-quality dental preventative, restorative, and cosmetic services for all regional patients.

There is free parking available behind our building.

FREE Dental Implants Consultation

Call your Bondi dentist at (02) 9365 7187 or book your appointment online. You can also visit us at 134 Curlewis St in Bondi Beach.