Implant Rescue · Washington, DC
Peri-Implantitis Treatment in Washington, DC
Inflammation and bone loss around an existing implant deserve specialist attention early. Evaluation and treatment for ailing implants.
Direct answer
Peri-implantitis is gum disease around a dental implant: inflammation of the surrounding tissue with progressive bone loss. Treated early, many ailing implants can be stabilized rather than removed.
Why it matters: An implant does not decay, but the bone and gum around it can still break down. Untreated peri-implantitis is one of the most common causes of dental implant failure — and it often progresses without pain.
Why see a periodontist: Periodontists manage the tissues that hold implants in place. Evaluating whether an ailing implant can be saved — and choosing between cleaning protocols, regenerative approaches, and laser-assisted treatment — is specialist territory.
Next step in DC: If your implant bleeds, feels tender, or your dentist has flagged bone loss around it, DC Perio evaluates ailing implants at both Washington, DC locations. Bring prior imaging if you have it.
What peri-implantitis is
Around a natural tooth, gum disease is called periodontitis. Around an implant, the same inflammatory process is called peri-implantitis: bacterial biofilm accumulates at the gumline, the surrounding tissue becomes inflamed, and — left alone — the bone supporting the implant begins to resorb.
The earlier stage, peri-implant mucositis, involves inflammation without bone loss and is often reversible with professional cleaning and improved home care. Once bone loss begins, treatment becomes more involved — which is why early evaluation matters so much.
Warning signs worth acting on
Bleeding or tenderness when brushing around the implant. Redness or swelling of the gum at the implant collar. Gum recession that makes the implant look longer. A bad taste, discharge, or odor near the implant. Looseness of the implant or its crown — a late sign that needs prompt attention.
Peri-implantitis frequently progresses without pain. If your general dentist or hygienist has noted deepening pockets or bone changes around an implant on an X-ray, that observation is the referral trigger — do not wait for symptoms.
How we evaluate an ailing implant
Evaluation starts with periodontal measurements around the implant, an assessment of the tissue, and imaging to establish how much bone remains and how the loss is patterned. Where three-dimensional detail matters, we use CBCT imaging.
The honest range of outcomes: some implants need only professional decontamination and a maintenance plan; some benefit from regenerative treatment to rebuild lost support; and some are better removed and replanned. We tell you which category your implant falls into and why.
Treatment options, including laser-assisted LAPIP
Treatment is matched to the stage. Early inflammation is managed with thorough decontamination of the implant surface and a tightened maintenance interval. Established bone loss may call for surgical access to clean the implant surface and, where the defect allows, regenerative grafting to rebuild support.
For appropriate cases, we use a minimally invasive laser protocol (LAPIP — the implant version of the LANAP protocol we use for gum disease around natural teeth). The laser targets diseased tissue and bacteria around the implant while sparing healthy tissue, with no scalpel and no sutures — supporting the body's own ability to stabilize the implant.
Where an implant cannot be predictably saved, we say so, and we plan the path forward: removal, site regeneration, and — when the site is ready — replacement.
Protecting the implants you have
Implants need the same professional attention as natural teeth: regular periodontal maintenance, home care designed for implant surfaces, and monitoring of the gum and bone at every visit. Patients with a history of gum disease carry a higher risk of peri-implantitis, and a maintenance schedule is how that risk is managed.
If you are planning a new implant and have had gum disease, the foundation work — treating the disease first, grafting where needed — is what protects the investment.
Common questions
Frequently asked about peri-implantitis treatment
- Can an implant with bone loss be saved?
- Often, yes — particularly when the problem is caught early. The answer depends on how much bone remains, the pattern of the defect, and how the implant surface can be decontaminated. An evaluation with imaging gives you a straight answer for your specific implant.
- What is LAPIP?
- LAPIP is a laser-assisted protocol for treating ailing implants — the implant counterpart of the LANAP protocol used for gum disease around natural teeth. It targets diseased tissue and bacteria around the implant without a scalpel or sutures, sparing healthy tissue. Candidacy is determined at evaluation.
- Why is my implant bleeding if implants can't get cavities?
- Implants cannot decay, but the gum and bone around them respond to bacterial plaque the same way they do around natural teeth. Bleeding at an implant is inflammation of that surrounding tissue — the earliest visible sign of peri-implant disease — and worth evaluating promptly.
- Does peri-implantitis treatment hurt?
- Treatment is performed with local anesthesia, and sedation options are available for patients who want them. Minimally invasive laser protocols in particular are designed to limit trauma to healthy tissue, which most patients find easier to recover from than they expected.
Your care team
Related care
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A consultation reviews your specific case and gives you honest options — not a pitch.