What are the costs of this procedure?
The costs vary depending on the effort and duration of the operation. Loose implants, which are no longer anchored in the bone, for example due to chronic periimplantitis (inflammation of the periodontium, see article on periodontal disease), can be removed like a tooth with pliers. A simple anaesthetic is usually sufficient.
The costs are lower with a small operation. If the procedure is more complex, i.e. the implant has to be milled out of the bone, additional bone may be created, since more materials (suture materials, medication, bone replacement material) and more time are needed. The costs for an implant removal can therefore range from 20€ to 150€.
Who bears the costs?
There is no billing item for the removal of an implant in the BEMA (German Association for the Evaluation of Dental Services). This means that the dentist cannot charge this to the health insurance company. It is therefore invoiced via the GOZ (Gebührenordnung für Zahnärzte).
These are private bills that the health insurance patient has to pay himself. Private patients or patients with private supplementary insurance can submit these invoices to their health insurance company if necessary. If implants are included in the insurance package, there is a possibility that you will be reimbursed.
What are the risks involved in removal?
Vascular injuries are relatively common, but can be easily repaired. One problem is that bone is lost during milling. This means that the loss can be up to 7 or 8 mm for an implant with a diameter of 4 mm. If the implant is not milled but unscrewed, a bone fragment may flake off. In addition, the nerves can be damaged, for example the large conduction nerve in the lower jaw.
Is it possible to place a dental implant again after the removal?
In general, it is possible to place an implant again. However, this statement cannot be generalized. In some patients a new implant can be placed directly after implant removal.
Otherwise the bone may have to be rebuilt first. Either with the body’s own substances or with bone replacement material.It is important that the area around the implant is free of bacteria so that inflammation does not occur again. In the course of this, the dental implant loosens and removal becomes inevitable.
Both the treating dentist and the patient can help to minimize these risks. On the part of the dentist a particularly hygienic procedure during the operation, i.e. the actual insertion of the implant, is necessary. The choice of the ideal material also reduces the risk of developing inflammations and abscesses.
The patient himself should pay special attention to extensive and careful oral hygiene after the implantation. The careful use of dental floss and/or interdental brushes (interdental space brushes) is recommended. Furthermore, studies have shown that the consumption of tobacco products after the operation promotes the above-mentioned risks.
For this reason, smokers are strongly advised to stop smoking for a few weeks after the insertion of a dental implant. In addition, the patient should strictly adhere to the agreed follow-up appointments and be in close contact with the dental practice in case of problems.
