Terrified implant has failed and last year has been a waste

[southside420]

I really thought I was doing well. I broke a tooth and had an implant placed in April of 2018 and the abatement and crown in October 2018. Never experienced any pain whatsoever except the $5500 cost.

Then, a week ago, I noticed I could move my crown ever so slightly inward and side to side, but not outward. If I push down on it, it doesn't move side to side unless I let it up for a while, and I've heard the crown click a few times. My gums look normal, I have no pain, and there is no redness, swelling or gum recession. And yet, here I am in a panic because it's possible all of the work I went through the last year was for no reason. I have no idea how this happened so quickly. As of November 2018, the x-rays looked good.

I am seeing my dentist who placed the crown tomorrow and I can't focus on anything else. Can anyone shed some light on whether this is likely just a loose screw/crown or if the implant has failed? Is it possible that it will fail without any physical signs?

 

[Scared all the time]

I really thought I was doing well. I broke a tooth and had an implant placed in April of 2018 and the abatement and crown in October 2018. Never experienced any pain whatsoever except the $5500 cost.

Then, a week ago, I noticed I could move my crown ever so slightly inward and side to side, but not outward. If I push down on it, it doesn't move side to side unless I let it up for a while, and I've heard the crown click a few times. My gums look normal, I have no pain, and there is no redness, swelling or gum recession. And yet, here I am in a panic because it's possible all of the work I went through the last year was for no reason. I have no idea how this happened so quickly. As of November 2018, the x-rays looked good.

I am seeing my dentist who placed the crown tomorrow and I can't focus on anything else. Can anyone shed some light on whether this is likely just a loose screw/crown or if the implant has failed? Is it possible that it will fail without any physical signs?

Maybe the crown just came loose? I’ve read that has happened with others and it just needs to me tighten hopefully that’s all that the issue is for you. That’s one of my fears with implants though...going through all that and it failing can I ask what tooth you had replaced?

 

[southside420]

Maybe the crown just came loose? I’ve read that has happened with others and it just needs to me tighten hopefully that’s all that the issue is for you. That’s one of my fears with implants though...going through all that and it failing can I ask what tooth you had replaced?

I'm hoping it's the crown, but I won't know until tomorrow. I had the #30 molar replaced 10-11 months ago. I've read more often than not, the screw comes loose, especially if there is no pain or inflammation involved. But that doesn't mean I'm not anxious that it could be worst case scenario and I'm back to where I was last year.

 

[Scared all the time]

I'm hoping it's the crown, but I won't know until tomorrow. I had the #30 molar replaced 10-11 months ago. I've read more often than not, the screw comes loose, especially if there is no pain or inflammation involved. But that doesn't mean I'm not anxious that it could be worst case scenario and I'm back to where I was last year.

So it wasn’t the last upper molar? Sorry I’m not familiar with the numbers I’m sure though it’s probably just loose and needs adjusting

 

[southside420]

So it wasn’t the last upper molar? Sorry I’m not familiar with the numbers I’m sure though it’s probably just loose and needs adjusting

It was the lower right molar second from the back. Only thing that makes me hopeful is it is not mobile when I press down on it. I read that likely, you can put the crown back on the abutment but because a screw is loose, it will naturally move upward. There certainly is no movement when I close my mouth and hold it down and then check to see if it's loose.

 

[Scared all the time]

It was the lower right molar second from the back. Only thing that makes me hopeful is it is not mobile when I press down on it. I read that likely, you can put the crown back on the abutment but because a screw is loose, it will naturally move upward. There certainly is no movement when I close my mouth and hold it down and then check to see if it's loose.

I think that’s all it is then just loose. I would think you’d have pain or swelling ect if there were a problem I has to be scary though ?

 

[southside420]

I think that’s all it is then just loose. I would think you’d have pain or swelling ect if there were a problem I has to be scary though ?

Apparently, it's not always painful, but I've never read a case where nothing physical was present (aside from the x-ray) that the implant was failing. I'm obviously not a dentist, but I would think if there was some sort of infection, there would be swelling, redness, etc as your body fights off bacteria.

A loose crown doesn't scare me. I never had any pain or fear having the abutment and crown placed. The only thing I fear is having to go through the surgery again.

 

[Scared all the time]

Apparently, it's not always painful, but I've never read a case where nothing physical was present (aside from the x-ray) that the implant was failing. I'm obviously not a dentist, but I would think if there was some sort of infection, there would be swelling, redness, etc as your body fights off bacteria.

A loose crown doesn't scare me. I never had any pain or fear having the abutment and crown placed. The only thing I fear is having to go through the surgery again.

Yea that’s what scares me the surgery ? I’ve never had a crown or anything like that so the implant surgery terrifies me I hope a dentist replies soon to help ease your fears.

 

[southside420]

Yea that’s what scares me the surgery ? I’ve never had a crown or anything like that so the implant surgery terrifies me I hope a dentist replies soon to help ease your fears.

The surgery wasn't bad at all. I had IV sedation and only remember having the IV put in and next thing I knew it was over. I never had any pain after surgery either, but I took ibuprofen I was prescribed for about a week. The wait was much longer than the actual operation. Regardless, I don't want to go through it again.

I go to the dentist tomorrow morning to have him look at it. I imagine he won't be able to tell what's up without an x-ray. I just hope it's nothing more than a loose screw.

 

[southside420]

Thankfully, it was only a loose abutment. The dentist didn't even x-ray it. He wiggled it, said immediately it's just a loose screw, opening it up and tightened it and sent me on my way. Huge relief.