Can my Failed Implant be Salvaged? - Bone Loss From Improperly Performed Implant Surgery
When an implant fails due to bone loss, careful grafting, digital planning, and surgical guides can rescue the site for a successful replacement.
Bone Loss from Improperly Performed Implant Surgery When an implant is improperly placed at the wrong angle or outside of the bone, the bone can be irreparably damaged. Another implant was planned without repairing the failed site - and it, too, would have failed.
Mr. O presented after his general dentist’s implant failed and intended to place a new one at the same damaged site (Fig. 1). We first placed a bone graft with growth factors to rebuild the defect, allowed healing, then used “virtual reality” planning and a custom surgical guide to place the replacement implant with pinpoint accuracy.
Fig. 1: Bone Graft Placed at Failed Implant Site
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a failed implant site be reused?
Yes - if the bone is rebuilt with a graft, the site can support a new implant.
How long after grafting can I get an implant?
Typically we wait 4-6 months for graft maturation before placing the implant.
What is virtual reality planning?
Specialized software lets us position implants in 3D before surgery for optimal results.
Do surgical guides help accuracy?
Yes - guides translate the digital plan to your mouth, ensuring perfect angulation and depth.
See How We Resolve These Problems
Our patient success stories show real cases and real results. Browse outcomes from a specialist prosthodontist with decades of experience and 3,900+ implants placed.
Related Patient Success Stories
Explore similar patient success stories demonstrating our expertise in advanced prosthetic dentistry.
Before 
After How a Front Tooth Lost to Childhood Trauma Was Rebuilt with Bone Grafting and a Long-Lasting Implant
A teenager was referred by her father after earlier trauma left her upper left front tooth slowly failing from root resorption. She was still growing, so an immediate implant was the wrong move. The tooth had to be maintained to buy time, then replaced correctly once she reached skeletal maturity.
Before 
After Implant Supported Reconstruction: Failing Bridgework and Missing Back Teeth Rebuilt with Coordinated Specialist Care
Referred by another dental specialist with severe bone resorption on the upper left, multiple broken-down lower teeth requiring extraction, and failing lower back teeth that had left the bite without solid support. No single procedure, and no single provider working alone, could rebuild a situation this interconnected.
Before 
After How a Loose Upper Bridge and Aging Crowns Were Rebuilt with Staged Implant Reconstruction
A patient referred by her general dentist after years of aging dentistry no longer holding up. A loose upper bridge and crowns more than twenty years old, combined with the effects of advanced periodontal disease and severely compromised tooth abutments, required a staged surgical and restorative plan delivered with comfort planning at the same time.
Related Articles
Deepen your knowledge with additional insights on this topic.
Bone Grafting & Surgical Rejuvenating a Ruined Implant Site Having Severely Damaged Bone
Even after a failed implant and significant bone loss, it is often possible to rebuild the ridge and restore a healthy foundation for a new implant.
Bone Grafting & Surgical What is 'Ridge Augmentation' - Bone Grafting
Ridge augmentation rebuilds jawbone lost after tooth extraction or injury, creating a stable foundation for dental implants in Washington, DC.
Bone Grafting & Surgical What is a Partial (Internal) Sinus Lift?
Learn what a partial internal sinus lift is and how it gently raises the sinus membrane to create room for a dental implant. Washington, DC prosthodontist.