Sillim Station Dentist – Reusing a Failed Implant??

Hello, I’m Kang Dong-ho, the director of Yonsei U-Line Dental Clinic, Sillim Branch, located near Sillim Station in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu.

Today, I’d like to talk about a question many people are curious about.

“An implant has fallen out. Can it be placed again?”

Or, “Can the implant that fell out simply be put back in as it is?”

These two questions may seem similar, but they are actually asking about slightly different things.

If the question is whether the very same implant that fell out can be placed again,

the answer is no—absolutely not.

If an implant has fallen out, it means that it did not properly bond with the bone or that a problem occurred due to inflammation.

Simply taking it out and putting it back in will not solve the problem.

Reusing material that has already failed once is medically risky and has almost no chance of success.

There is a very high possibility that an infection will develop again or that the same problem will recur.

Therefore, if an implant has actually fallen out,

the fallen implant is not reused and is discarded,

and a new implant is placed after assessing the condition.

A new implant may be placed in the same area right away.

However, if there has been significant bone loss or severe damage,

preliminary treatment such as bone grafting may be necessary.

Since this depends on the patient’s oral condition,

the decision is made after an accurate diagnosis.

Some people also ask because they are concerned about the cost,

“Can’t you just wash it and put it back in?”

I’m sorry, but that is absolutely not possible.

Leaving ethics and conscience aside,

it simply does not make medical sense.

No dental clinic actually does this,

and if one did, that would be a serious problem.

Then there is another question:

“Is it right to place another implant,

or are there other options?”

This is something that requires more consideration.

For example, if the bone is too severely damaged for an implant to be placed,

other options, such as a partial denture or bridge, may be considered.

If the location is not functionally essential,

it may also be left empty.

However, in most cases, if the condition allows,

treatment is planned around placing a new implant.

To summarize,

‘A fallen implant is not reused,

and a new implant is placed depending on the condition.

Whether this is possible may vary depending on the condition of the bone and gums.’

That is probably the best way to sum it up.