Can Your Implants Move Out of Place? A Guide to Causes, Signs, and Solutions

October 2, 2025 •

5 min read

While modern surgical techniques aim for permanence, a small percentage of patients experience complications where their implant shifts or moves from its intended position. The question, 'Can your implants move out of place?', is a valid concern for anyone with a prosthetic or medical device, whether for cosmetic or restorative purposes.

Quick Summary

Yes, implants can move. Factors like tissue changes, infection, or trauma can lead to displacement. Understanding the specific risks for different implant types helps ensure proper monitoring and care.

Key Points

Implant Movement is Possible, But Varies by Type: While dental implants are designed for permanent integration with bone, breast implants can shift over time due to tissue changes, capsular contracture, or trauma.
Look for Key Symptoms: Signs of implant movement include pain, visual asymmetry, a change in position, and for dental implants, the feeling of a loose tooth.
Infection is a Major Cause: Infections like peri-implantitis around dental implants can cause bone loss and subsequent loosening, highlighting the importance of excellent oral hygiene.
Post-Surgical Care is Critical: Following your surgeon's post-operative instructions, including wearing supportive garments and avoiding strenuous activity, significantly reduces the risk of breast implant malposition.
Correction Often Requires Professional Intervention: If you suspect an implant has moved, consult a medical professional immediately. Treatment options range from simply re-tightening a component to more complex revision surgery.
Not Always Implant Failure: Sometimes, what appears to be a moving implant is just a loose component, like a dental crown or abutment, which can be a much simpler fix.

The Reality of Implant Movement

The phrase "set it and forget it" does not apply to all implants. While many implants, such as dental and orthopedic prosthetics, are designed for long-term integration with the body, there are instances where they can shift or migrate. This can be a result of the natural healing process, external forces, or underlying medical issues. The risk and presentation of movement vary significantly depending on the type of implant and its location in the body.

Breast Implants

Breast implant displacement, also known as malposition, can occur months or even years after the initial surgery. It is important to distinguish between normal "settling" during the healing phase and significant, abnormal shifting.

Common types of breast implant malposition include:

Bottoming Out: The implant shifts downward, causing the nipple to point upward and a bulge to form at the bottom of the breast.
Lateral Displacement: The implant moves toward the armpit, causing the breasts to appear unnaturally far apart.
Symmastia: Often called a "uni-boob," this occurs when implants move toward the center of the chest, compromising the cleavage.
High-Riding: The implants sit too high on the chest, leading to an unnatural appearance.

Dental Implants

Unlike breast implants, which are placed in a pocket of tissue, dental implants are titanium posts designed to fuse directly with the jawbone in a process called osseointegration. Therefore, a fully integrated dental implant should not move. If it does, it signals a serious problem and is considered a dental emergency.

Movement can involve:

The entire implant post and crown shifting.
Only the crown or abutment (the connector) becoming loose.

Orthopedic Implants

Orthopedic implants, such as those used for joint replacement (e.g., hip or knee), can also migrate or loosen over time. This is more common in older implants and can lead to pain, reduced function, and potential revision surgery.

Why Do Implants Move Out of Place? Common Causes

Implant movement is rarely without a cause. Here are some of the most common reasons implants shift:

Capsular Contracture: For breast implants, this is a common issue where the natural scar tissue capsule around the implant tightens and hardens. This can squeeze and displace the implant, leading to pain and cosmetic distortion.
Improper Placement or Pocket Size: If the surgical pocket created for a breast implant is too large or was placed incorrectly, the implant can shift easily.
Infection: Infections, such as peri-implantitis in dental cases, can cause bone loss around the implant, leading to instability. This is a leading cause of dental implant failure.
Trauma or Injury: A direct blow to the chest, face, or limb where an implant is located can dislodge it from its position.
Failed Osseointegration: In dental implantology, if the titanium post does not properly fuse with the jawbone, the implant will never be stable and will eventually loosen.
Natural Tissue Changes: Over time, gravity and aging can cause skin and tissue to lose elasticity, particularly around breast implants, which can contribute to sagging and movement.
Overloading or Bruxism: For dental implants, excessive chewing forces or teeth grinding (bruxism) can put too much pressure on the implant, leading to bone loss or a loose crown/abutment.

How to Recognize a Shifting Implant

Recognizing the signs of a displaced implant early is crucial for successful treatment. Symptoms often include:

Visual Asymmetry: A noticeable difference in the size, shape, or position of the breasts, or a tooth that looks misaligned.
Pain or Discomfort: Persistent pain, tenderness, or unusual discomfort around the implant site.
Visible Movement: For dental implants, the sensation of the tooth wobbling when you touch or chew is a clear sign. For breast implants, you might feel the implant shift within the breast pocket.
Changes in Nipple Position: A breast implant that has bottomed out may cause the nipple to point upwards.
Difficulty Chewing: Problems with biting or chewing properly can indicate a loose dental implant.

Implant Movement Comparison: Breast vs. Dental


Feature	Breast Implants	Dental Implants	Orthopedic Implants
Common Causes	Capsular contracture, oversized pocket, gravity, trauma, muscle movement	Peri-implantitis (infection), failed osseointegration, trauma, bruxism, loose abutment/crown	Loosening over time, infection, trauma, poor bone quality
Signs of Movement	Asymmetry, bottoming out, high riding, symmastia, visible rippling, pain	Loose or wobbly tooth, pain, difficulty chewing, bleeding/swelling gums, infection	Pain, instability, reduced range of motion, grinding sensation
Symptom Onset	Months to years after surgery	Usually during healing (failure) or years later (peri-implantitis)	Years after surgery, or after trauma
Treatment Options	Revision surgery (capsulorrhaphy, implant replacement), supportive devices	Prompt dental evaluation, re-cementing crown/abutment, scaling/root planing, or removal	Revision surgery to reposition or replace the implant

What Happens Next? Solutions and Prevention

If you suspect an implant has moved, contacting the appropriate medical professional—a plastic surgeon, dentist, or orthopedic surgeon—is the most important step. Do not attempt to fix it yourself.

Solutions for Breast Implants:

Revision Surgery: The most definitive solution involves surgically addressing the problem. This can include tightening the implant pocket (capsulorrhaphy), repositioning the implant, or replacing it entirely.
Mesh Support: In some cases, a reinforcing biological mesh or dermal matrix can be used to help secure the implant in place.

Solutions for Dental Implants:

Loose Crown/Abutment: If only the crown or abutment is loose, the dentist can often re-cement or tighten it.
Implant Failure: If the implant post itself has failed to integrate or is loose due to infection, it may need to be removed. The area can be treated and, in some cases, a new implant placed later.

Preventive Measures:

Follow Post-Op Instructions: Adhering strictly to your surgeon's or dentist's post-operative instructions is vital. This includes activity restrictions and proper care.
Wear Supportive Garments: For breast augmentation, wearing a supportive bra as advised by your surgeon can help during the healing process and beyond.
Practice Excellent Oral Hygiene: For dental implants, meticulous oral hygiene prevents infections like peri-implantitis, a major cause of movement.
Use a Nightguard: If you grind your teeth, a nightguard can protect dental implants from excessive force.
Regular Check-ups: Routine follow-ups with your medical provider allow for early detection of potential issues.

Conclusion

The potential for an implant to move out of place is a risk associated with various surgical procedures, but it is not an inevitable outcome. The stability of an implant depends on numerous factors, including the type of implant, the patient's individual biology, and post-operative care. For breast implants, factors like capsular contracture and gravity can lead to visible displacement, while for dental implants, failure of osseointegration or infection are key culprits. Recognizing the signs of implant movement, such as pain, asymmetry, or instability, and seeking prompt professional evaluation are the most crucial steps. By understanding the risks and following preventive measures, patients can significantly improve the longevity and success of their implants. For more information on implant complications and safety, consult resources like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on breast implants and other medical devices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Capsular contracture occurs when the natural scar tissue capsule that forms around a breast implant tightens and hardens. This contraction can squeeze and distort the implant, causing it to shift out of its intended position.

A healthy, successfully integrated dental implant should not move at all. If it does, it's a sign of a significant underlying issue, such as an infection (peri-implantitis) or bone loss, and requires immediate dental attention.

Common first signs of a shifting breast implant include noticeable asymmetry, a change in breast shape, visual rippling or wrinkling of the skin, or persistent pain or discomfort.

Yes, some initial settling and dropping of breast implants is a normal part of the healing process. However, excessive or prolonged shifting beyond what is expected by your surgeon is not normal and should be evaluated.

Yes, significant trauma or a direct blow to the area where an implant is located can dislodge it from its pocket or cause the bone to fracture around it, leading to displacement.

You should contact your dentist immediately if you feel your dental implant is loose. Avoid disturbing the area, chewing on that side of your mouth, or trying to fix it yourself until you have been examined.

Yes, if teeth grinding (bruxism) or clenching is contributing to a dental implant's instability, a nightguard can help by reducing the excessive bite force that places pressure on the implant and surrounding bone.