Peri‑Implantitis Treatment

What to expect

1. 1

   Diagnosis & 3D imaging

   We measure the tissues around the implant and use CBCT imaging to map exactly how much bone has been lost and the shape of the defect.

2. 2

   Infection control

   The implant surface is thoroughly decontaminated and inflammation is brought under control — sometimes non-surgically first for earlier cases.

3. 3

   Surgical access & debridement

   When bone loss is established, the area is opened to clean the implant surface and remove diseased tissue that can’t be reached otherwise.

4. 4

   Regeneration where possible

   Suitable bone defects are grafted — often with a barrier membrane — to rebuild support around the implant.

5. 5

   Ongoing maintenance

   A tailored maintenance schedule protects the result and catches any recurrence early.

Common questions

Can an implant with peri-implantitis be saved?

Often, yes — especially when it’s caught early. Controlling the infection, decontaminating the implant surface, and regenerating lost bone can stabilize many implants. The chance of saving it depends on how much bone has been lost, which we assess with imaging.

How is peri-implantitis different from gum disease?

They’re closely related — both are inflammation driven by bacteria — but peri-implantitis affects the tissue and bone around an implant rather than a natural tooth. Implants lack some of the protective attachment natural teeth have, so peri-implant bone loss can progress differently and needs implant-specific care.

Is peri-implantitis painful?

Frequently it isn’t, particularly in the early stages — which is what makes it dangerous. Bleeding when brushing, swelling, or a change in how the implant feels can be the only signs, so any of these warrant prompt evaluation.

What happens if it’s left untreated?

The supporting bone continues to be lost, the implant loosens, and it can eventually fail and need to be removed. Early treatment gives the best chance of keeping the implant and avoiding more complex reconstruction later.

What causes peri-implantitis in the first place?

Bacterial plaque accumulating around the implant is the driver. The risk is substantially higher for patients with a history of periodontal disease, for smokers, where the restoration is difficult to clean around or beneath, where excess cement was left at the margin, and where there is little firm gum tissue around the implant.

Why can’t it just be cleaned like a gum pocket?

Because implant surfaces are microscopically roughened to encourage bone attachment, and that same texture makes bacterial biofilm far harder to remove than from a smooth root. Non-surgical cleaning is worth attempting early, but established defects usually need surgical access to decontaminate the surface properly.

Will the bone I’ve lost grow back?

Sometimes partially. Contained, well-shaped defects with bone walls around them can be grafted with reasonable success. Broad, shallow defects with no containment generally cannot be regenerated — there the realistic aim is to arrest the disease and keep the implant stable rather than rebuild.

How is it different from peri-implant mucositis?

Mucositis is inflammation of the gum around the implant with no bone loss, and it is reversible with thorough cleaning and better home care. Peri-implantitis means bone has already been lost, and that loss doesn’t reverse on its own. Catching it at the mucositis stage is the entire purpose of implant maintenance.

Will I need the implant removed?

Often not, particularly when it’s caught reasonably early. Removal becomes the right call when too little bone remains for the implant to be stable, when the infection can’t be controlled, or when the implant’s position was compromised to begin with. We’ll be direct about which situation applies.

If I lose this implant, can I have another?

Usually yes. After removal the site is cleaned and, where needed, grafted to rebuild support, then a replacement is planned around whatever caused the original failure. Addressing that cause is what stops the same thing happening again.

Does smoking affect the outcome?

Significantly. Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors both for developing peri-implantitis and for treatment failing to hold. It reduces blood flow to exactly the tissues that treatment relies on. Reducing or stopping meaningfully improves the odds, and we’d rather say so than not.