Can your body reject dental implants?

Can your body really reject a metal implant, or is something else going on? It's the question we hear most often at Morgan Heights Dental Centre, and the short answer is that true rejection is uncommon. If you're curious about dental implants in South Surrey and White Rock, here's how it works.

How bone holds an implant in place

Your jawbone does the holding. Dentists call this osseointegration, which simply means living bone grows directly onto the implant surface. It's why a titanium implant can stay anchored for decades.

Here's how it unfolds:

1. The implant is placed in your jawbone.
2. Bone cells start attaching to its surface.
3. Over about four to six months, new bone locks the implant in place. Timing varies with bone quality and health.
4. Once the bone holds firm, your new crown is attached.

Titanium helps because it forms a thin layer of titanium dioxide. That layer limits corrosion, helps proteins and bone cells attach, and favours bone healing, the same reason it's used in hip replacements.

Why some implants struggle

A mouth is a tougher setting than a hip. An implant has to handle bacteria, chewing forces, and gum inflammation, so planning and aftercare matter. When implants do fail, it's mostly from:

• Healing that goes off plan
• Infection
• Poor stability
• Too much force

Smoking is also linked to more complications. In published research, about 95 percent of titanium implants are still in place after ten years. Results vary, and a surviving implant still needs healthy gums and bone.

Zirconia, a metal-free option, reached about 97.2 percent five-year survival in a 2023 review. Titanium has decades of research behind it, so we prefer titanium.

Our approach and how to protect your implant

Dr. Anthony Wong places implants with Dr. Farid Alenabi, after Cone Beam 3D imaging checks your bone, nerves and sinuses. Then you heal for about four to six months.

To look after your implant:

• Brush twice a day and clean around the implant
• Keep your check-ups
• Report bleeding, swelling, discomfort or looseness right away

Cost depends on how many implants you need, whether bone grafting is required, how complex the surgery is, and the crown type. Our front desk explains your estimate and coverage before treatment.

Thinking about an implant? Call 604-535-8835 or book at morganheightsdental.com, and let's talk.