Implant Revisions · Failing Implants
Failing Implants
Implants fail. It happens. What matters is what comes next.
Dental implant science is over 50 years old. Even with the best of today’s technology, roughly 10% of implants fail in the first five years. We are dedicated to not only rescuing smiles that have failed — but renewing them.
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A trusted dental implants provider in Scottsdale, Arizona
The Reality of Implant Science
50 years of science. Still evolving.
Dental implant science is over 50 years old. During that time, enormous innovations, improvements, and changes in materials, techniques, and protocols have shaped how implants are placed and restored.
What worked in 1975 looks very different from what we do today — and what we do today will continue to evolve.
Even with the best science available today, approximately 10% of dental implants fail in the first five years. That is not a failure of the concept — it is the reality of biology, anatomy, and the changing conditions of the human body over time.
What we have observed across thousands of implants placed — and across the failures we have seen from other providers — is that dental implants require ongoing maintenance, oral medicine, and adaptation to the changing conditions in a person’s mouth over time.
They are not a one-and-done solution. They are a long-term relationship.
Implant Maintenance & Long-Term Care
"Dental implants don't just need to be placed well. They need to be maintained, monitored, and adapted over time — just like the patient who carries them."
Years of implant science
What Makes Implants Last
The fundamentals never change.
The key to successful dental implants lies in three areas — and all three must be attended to throughout the life of the implant, not just at the time of placement.
01.
Routine Maintenance
Regular professional cleaning, monitoring of bone levels, and assessment of component integrity. Implants that are not routinely maintained are at significantly higher risk of failure over time — regardless of how well they were originally placed.
02.
Good General Health
Systemic health directly affects implant longevity. Diabetes, bone density changes, medications, and other health factors all influence how bone integrates and maintains around an implant over time. Managing health is part of managing implant success.
03.
Restorative Fundamentals
Occlusion, periodontics, and the quality of the restoration itself are the cornerstones of long-term success. The bite must be correct. The tissue must be healthy. The crown or prosthetic must be properly designed. When any of these fundamentals are compromised — failure follows.
Our Commitment
Restore. Renew. Move forward.
Our practice is dedicated to not only restoring smiles that have failed — but renewing them once restored with new or adapted implants. We approach every failing implant case with fresh eyes, a thorough evaluation, and the full depth of our clinical experience.
Whether it is a single implant that never integrated, a full arch case that is breaking down, or a longstanding case showing signs of peri-implantitis or bone loss — we have seen it, and we know how to address it.
- Comprehensive evaluation of all failing or failed implants
- Assessment of occlusion, bone levels, periodontal health, and restoration quality
- Familiar with every major implant system and many legacy systems
- Replacement, rescue, or renewal — depending on what your case requires
- Long-term maintenance plans to protect your investment going forward
- Gnathological expertise to ensure the bite is correct after restoration
- Surgical removal of failing implants when necessary — clean, precise, and complete
- Bone grafting to restore volume at the failed implant site
- Remote anchorage implants when bone is no longer sufficient — zygomatic, pterygoid, or subperiosteal solutions
Don't Give Up on Your Implants
A failing implant is not the end of the story.
Bring us your records, your scans, and your concerns. Dr. Chris Winterholler will give you an honest evaluation of what is happening — and a clear, actionable plan to restore your smile and your confidence in your implants.
Scottsdale
13825 N Northsight Blvd, Suite 120
Mon–Thu 8–5 · Tue 7–5 · Fri 8–1
(480) 767-8400
Payson
315 E State Highway 260
Mon–Thu 8am – 5pm
(928) 474-2200
