Failed Implant Removal & Replacement
When an implant is loose, infected or badly positioned — removing it, rebuilding the site, and starting over properly.
Overview
Implants fail in two distinct ways, and the difference decides the treatment. Early failure means the implant never fused with the bone — it is usually loose within weeks or months and removal is straightforward. Late failure, years afterwards, is most often peri-implantitis: an inflammatory infection that destroys the bone around an implant that had integrated fine. A third group is not a biological failure at all — the implant is stable but sits in a position or angle that cannot carry an acceptable crown.
Removal is usually less invasive than patients expect. A non-integrated implant often comes out by reverse torque; an integrated one may need a trephine to take a thin ring of bone with it. What matters more than the removal itself is what follows: the site is typically grafted and left to heal for three to six months before a new implant goes in, so the second attempt has real bone to anchor into. Denvida assesses these cases on a CBCT scan and will say plainly when an implant can be kept and treated rather than removed.
Options & Types
Treat and keep the implant
Early peri-implantitis with the implant still stable can often be treated by decontamination and, where indicated, regenerative grafting — no removal.
Remove and graft, replace later
The usual route when bone loss is advanced: remove, graft the site, heal 3–6 months, then place a new implant into rebuilt bone.
Restore differently instead
A stable but poorly angled implant can sometimes carry a custom-machined abutment, or the gap can be closed with a bridge instead of re-implanting.
The Process
- 1
Free consult + 3D CBCT scan
The scan shows how much bone is left around the implant and whether the problem is integration, infection or position.
- 2
Removal under local anesthesia
Reverse torque where the implant is not integrated, or a trephine where it is — chosen to preserve as much surrounding bone as possible.
- 3
Bone graft & healing
The site is grafted and left to heal, usually three to six months, so the replacement implant has stable bone to anchor into.
- 4
New implant & restoration
A new implant is placed on a guided plan and restored — with the cause of the first failure addressed rather than repeated.
Cost & Financing
| Procedure | Bay Area range | Denvida |
|---|---|---|
| Implant removal (explantation) | case-by-case | written estimate |
| Bone graft at the site | $400–$3,000 | case-by-case |
| Replacement implant (complete) | $4,500–$6,500 | from $3,500 |
Removal cost varies too widely to quote a useful range — a non-integrated implant that unscrews and an integrated one needing a trephine plus grafting are very different procedures. Ranges shown are Bay Area market references, not quotes. Denvida gives a detailed written estimate after the CBCT scan and is in-network with Delta Dental & Cigna; financing available.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a failed dental implant removed?
It depends on whether the implant fused with the bone. An implant that never integrated is usually loose and can be unscrewed with reverse torque under local anesthesia, often in a single short visit. An integrated implant needs a trephine bur to remove a thin ring of bone with it. Both are done under local anesthesia, and the site is normally grafted afterwards.
Can a dental implant be replaced after it fails?
Usually yes. The site normally needs bone grafting and three to six months of healing first, so the replacement implant anchors into rebuilt bone rather than the defect left behind. Success rates for a second attempt are good when the reason for the first failure — infection, smoking, insufficient bone, or an overloaded position — is identified and addressed.
What are the signs a dental implant is failing?
The clearest sign is movement — a healthy implant does not move at all. Others are persistent pain or pressure, gum that bleeds or oozes around the implant, receding gum exposing metal, a crown that keeps loosening, and pain when biting down. Any movement or discharge should be assessed promptly, because bone lost to peri-implantitis does not come back on its own.
Does a loose implant always have to come out?
No — and it is worth checking before assuming the worst. Sometimes what feels loose is the crown or the abutment screw, not the implant, and that is a straightforward repair. If the implant itself moves, it has not integrated and does need to come out. Early peri-implantitis with a still-stable implant can often be treated and the implant kept. A CBCT scan distinguishes these.
Related Services
Free consultation + 3D scan
Meet Dr. Na Zhao (DDS, PhD) for a no-obligation consultation, 3D scan and written estimate. Mandarin & Spanish spoken.