What Does Implant Loosening Feel Like? A Guide to Recognising Symptoms

September 22, 2025 •

4 min read

While implant procedures, both dental and orthopedic, boast high success rates, understanding potential complications is vital. It is essential to know what implant loosening feel like so you can identify the symptoms early and seek timely medical attention, ensuring a better long-term outcome.

Quick Summary

Implant loosening typically feels like a persistent, worsening pain, often accompanied by a sensation of instability or movement. Patients may also experience swelling, grinding or clicking sounds during movement, and decreased function, depending on the type and location of the implant.

Key Points

Visible Movement: A dental implant may feel wobbly or shift when you touch or chew with it, a clear sign of loosening.
Persistent Pain: Chronic or worsening pain, especially during use, is a major indicator of loosening for both dental and orthopedic implants.
Instability and Weakness: A loose orthopedic joint, like a hip or knee, may feel unstable or give out when you put weight on it.
Unusual Sounds: Grinding, clicking, or squeaking noises during movement are tell-tale signs of implant components not functioning correctly.
Inflammation and Infection: Swelling, redness, or bleeding around the implant site, especially with bad odor, can signal an infection causing the loosening.
Seek Immediate Care: A loose implant is a medical issue that requires immediate professional evaluation; it will not fix itself and can lead to more serious complications if ignored.

Recognizing the Symptoms of a Loose Implant

Identifying implant loosening early is critical for preventing further complications and ensuring the longevity of your prosthesis. While the specific sensations can vary depending on the type of implant, several signs are universally indicative of a problem. Recognizing these symptoms and understanding their underlying causes will help you know when to seek professional medical advice. It is important to note that a loose implant is not something that resolves on its own and requires evaluation by a specialist.

Dental Implants: What to Expect

For those with dental implants, the feeling of loosening can be particularly alarming. A successful implant should feel as solid and stable as a natural tooth. Any deviation from this is a red flag.

Common signs of a loose dental implant:

Sensation of movement: The most obvious sign is a feeling of the implant, crown, or post wiggling or shifting when you touch it with your tongue or finger. It may feel wobbly when chewing.
Pain or discomfort: Pain is not normal for a well-integrated implant. If you experience persistent or new discomfort, especially when biting down or applying pressure, it could signal an issue.
Swelling and bleeding: Inflammation, redness, or bleeding of the gums around the implant site can indicate an infection, such as peri-implantitis, which can lead to bone loss and implant loosening.
Changes in bite: A shifting implant can alter how your teeth meet when you bite down, causing an uneven or uncomfortable feeling.
Bad taste or odor: A persistent bad taste in your mouth or foul odor coming from the implant area is a common sign of infection.

Orthopedic Implants: Hips and Knees

Orthopedic implants, such as those for hip and knee replacements, also have distinct symptoms when they become loose. Unlike dental implants, movement is not typically visible, but the sensations within the joint can be quite noticeable.

Common signs of a loose orthopedic implant:

Persistent or new pain: While some pain is normal post-surgery, new, persistent, or worsening pain long after the recovery period is a key indicator. Pain from a loose knee implant may be felt during weight-bearing activities, while a loose hip implant can cause pain in the groin, thigh, or buttock.
Instability or weakness: A feeling that the joint is “giving out” or is unstable, particularly when standing or walking, is a serious sign of loosening. You may find it difficult to bear weight.
Clicking, grinding, or squeaking: Unusual noises from the joint during movement can be caused by the components of the implant rubbing against each other or the bone due to poor fixation.
Decreased range of motion: A gradual loss of the ability to move the joint freely, or a feeling of stiffness, can indicate that the implant is no longer properly aligned or securely fixed.

Understanding the Causes of Loosening

Implant loosening is not a random occurrence. It stems from several potential issues:

Infection: Peri-implantitis (for dental implants) or an infection in the joint space (for orthopedic implants) can degrade the surrounding bone and tissue, compromising the implant's stability.
Bone loss: For both types of implants, bone loss can occur around the device. In dental implants, this can be due to poor hygiene or peri-implantitis. In orthopedic implants, it can be caused by the body's reaction to wear particles from the prosthesis, a condition called osteolysis.
Mechanical failure: The components themselves—such as the abutment screw for a dental implant or the cement for an orthopedic one—can fail or break over time.
Poor osseointegration: In some cases, the implant may fail to properly fuse with the jawbone (for dental) or grow into the surrounding bone (for uncemented orthopedic implants) from the start.

Comparison of Implant Loosening Symptoms


Symptom	Dental Implant Loosening	Orthopedic Implant Loosening
Sensation of Movement	Often visible or felt as a wobble or shift in the crown.	Felt as instability or a sense of the joint 'giving out'.
Pain	Sharp pain when chewing or consistent discomfort around the implant site.	Deep, persistent, or increasing pain in the joint, groin, or thigh, especially with activity.
Sound	Clicking or tapping noises when biting or speaking.	Grinding, clicking, or squeaking sounds from the joint during movement.
Swelling/Inflammation	Redness, swelling, and bleeding of the gums around the implant.	Swelling and stiffness in the knee or hip joint.
Bite/Function	Changes in how teeth meet, difficulty chewing.	Decreased range of motion, difficulty bearing weight.

What to Do If You Suspect Implant Loosening

If you experience any of these symptoms, do not ignore them. Contact your dentist or orthopedic surgeon immediately. Self-treating or waiting for the problem to resolve is not advisable, as it can lead to more serious damage and complex treatment. Avoiding pressure on the affected implant, such as by chewing on the other side of your mouth or reducing strenuous activity, can help prevent further damage until you see a professional. Early intervention is key to a successful resolution, which may involve tightening a screw, treating an infection, or, in more severe cases, revision surgery.

Conclusion: Prioritizing Your Health

Ultimately, understanding what implant loosening feels like empowers you to be proactive about your health. Persistent pain, noticeable instability, or unusual sounds should never be dismissed. These symptoms are your body's way of signaling that a critical component of your prosthetic is in distress. By acting quickly and seeking expert evaluation, you can address the issue efficiently, protect your investment in your health, and maintain your quality of life. For further information on implant health and revision procedures, you can consult reliable sources like the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common cause is peri-implantitis, an infection that affects the gum and bone around the implant, leading to bone loss and instability. Other causes can include mechanical issues with the abutment screw or poor initial integration with the jawbone.

No, a loose implant cannot fix itself. Any sensation of loosening, however minor, is a sign that something is wrong and requires a dentist or surgeon to diagnose and treat the root cause.

Diagnosis involves a physical examination by a specialist, who may check for movement or instability. They will likely use imaging techniques, such as X-rays, to assess the condition of the bone surrounding the implant.

While not all cases are a life-threatening emergency, a loose implant should be treated as an urgent medical issue. Ignoring it can lead to more severe infection, bone damage, and a more complicated, expensive revision procedure.

Yes, excessive or constant horizontal force, such as from grinding teeth (bruxism) or high-impact activities for orthopedic implants, can place undue stress on the implant and contribute to loosening over time.

Treatment depends on the cause. It may involve tightening or replacing a loose abutment screw, treating an infection, or, if the implant post itself has failed, removing the implant and potentially performing a new procedure.

The first step is to contact your healthcare provider immediately. Until you can be seen, avoid putting pressure on the implant (e.g., chewing on the other side) and maintain gentle, but meticulous, oral hygiene around the site if it's a dental implant.