14.04.2026
Peri-implantitis: an implant feels no pain
An implant replaces the root, not the supporting apparatus. It has no periodontal ligament and no nerves to warn. If the tissue becomes inflamed, that often goes unnoticed for a long time – until the implant loosens, and by then the bone has already broken down.
The profession distinguishes two stages. Peri-implant mucositis affects only the soft tissue and is reversible. Peri-implantitis has reached the bone; here the loss is permanent.
Anyone who has had periodontitis carries a higher risk – the same bacteria, the same susceptibility. That is why every implant belongs in an aftercare programme of its own, with regular measurement of the probing depths, not just a visual check.
At your aftercare appointment, ask explicitly whether measurements are taken around the implants as well.