Peri-Implantitis Treatment in Phoenix, AZ

Don’t Put Off Treatment

In the early stages of Peri-Implantitis, the symptoms are relatively mild. Most experience swollen gums, leading to tenderness and sensitivity in the mouth. The longer the infection goes untreated, however, the more serious the symptoms become. Ultimately, dental implants can fail and bone structure can become damaged.

It is crucial to have an experienced and detail-oriented Periodontist perform your dental implant procedures from start to finish. At Arizona Periodontal Group, we go to great lengths to minimize bacterial exposure during procedures. Our definition of success is not just having you walk out of our office with a great smile, but being happy with that smile for years to come.

Signs and Symptoms

1. Inflammation causes redness, swelling, and pain of the gum tissue around the implants.
2. Receding gum line. The “pocket” of gum that the implant has been placed into grows bigger and deeper.
3. Exposure or visibility of the implant threads.
4. Loosening of the implant.
5. Pus discharge from within the gums around the implant. It may be a very unpleasant taste rather than something you see.
6. Bone deterioration is usually unseen but painful. Often felt as soreness in the jaw.
7. Bleeding occurs when the gums are infected. There are no situations where bleeding gums are healthy or to be expected.
8. Swollen or tender lymph nodes around the neck or armpits.

If you feel that your daily life is being affected by pain or discomfort around your dental implants, call us immediately to schedule an appointment. Pain or sensitivity while chewing, drinking, exercising, moving your head into different positions, headaches, soreness or stiffness in the jaw is not healthy and indicates a problem and needs to be looked at by our Periodontist as soon as possible.

It is important to remember that while these more severe symptoms are real risks, they only happen when peri-implantitis is left untreated for significant amounts of time. When caught early and provided adequate supervision from a competent periodontist, peri-implantitis can be treated before it ever causes undue discomfort or embarrassment.

How Does Peri-Implantitis Begin?

The primary sources of peri-implantitis are:

1. Compromised Immune System

Patients affected by a disease that affects the whole body are at a higher risk of peri-implantitis. If you have diabetes or another systemic illness, consult with your dentist about dental implants. At Dental Partners of Boston, we understand how these diseases affect peri-implantitis, and we can adjust our treatment accordingly. Additionally, if patients have ever had a different type of mouth infection similar to peri-implantitis – they may be at a higher risk. Bring it to your dentist’s attention if you have ever contracted periodontitis extensive gum disease or other bacterial mouth infections.

2. Insufficient Dental Care

Peri-implantitis is caused primarily by the bacteria and food particles that gradually accumulate around dental implants and gum lines. Careful and consistent dental care is needed in order to minimize and eliminate harmful pathogens, which are found in plaque and tartar. As with most other dental conditions, peri-implantitis can be made worse by smoking, alcohol and drug use. Consult your Periodontist for more information on how to adopt healthy dental habits.

3. Parafunctional Habits

These are involuntary habits you may have. They can be due to malformation of part of your body or a nervous tick. They can even occur unconsciously during sleep. Habits like grinding your teeth in your sleep, poorly positioning your teeth when your jaw is closed, nail-biting and others.