Failed Dental Implants in Edinburgh: When an Implant Isn't Right
Comely Bank Dental in Edinburgh sees implants that are loose, sore or failing, including implants placed abroad. Dr Davinder Kalsi assesses yours at a free consultation, with a CT scan at £160 if you need one, and you leave with your options and a written fee. We're at 3 Comely Bank Road, Edinburgh EH4 1AN; call 0131 332 3971 or book at cbd.portal.dental. Prices checked October 2026.
If an implant feels loose, sore or just not right, it is worth having it looked at soon. Many problems, such as a loose crown or screw, can be put right simply. Some need more treatment, and sometimes the implant has to come out and be replaced. At our practice in Comely Bank, near Stockbridge, Dr Davinder Kalsi looks at implants placed here or anywhere else, including abroad, and tells you plainly what he finds.
The consultation is free. We take a £40 deposit when you book, which comes off your treatment if you go ahead, or is refunded if you don't. A CT scan, if you need one, is £160, and every fee is set out in writing before treatment starts.2
Dr Davinder Kalsi BDS (Aberdeen), BEng, MSc (Dental Implants). GDC 264493. A BAIRD graduate (British Academy of Implant and Restorative Dentistry).
- 2,000+Implants he has placed, from one tooth to complete arches
- 10+ yearsOf implant placement and restoration
- 99%+Success rate for his implants, in our own records
- MScMaster of Science in dental implants
- MegaGen AnyRidge implants (CleanImplant Trusted Quality seal)
- CT scanner on site
- MegaGen R2 guided surgery
- 5-year guarantee for non-smokers who attend hygiene visits every 3 months
Signs Worth Getting Checked
Book in if you notice any of these around an implant, wherever it was placed.
How Soon to Be Seen
A loose crown or screw is often fixable and isn't usually an emergency, but book in within a few days: a crown that moves can damage the parts underneath it.
An implant that itself feels loose in the jaw needs seeing promptly. Call us on 0131 332 3971; same-day slots with our emergency dentist in Edinburgh are held every weekday.
If you have swelling that is spreading, a fever or trouble swallowing, get urgent care: call NHS 24 on 111, or 999 if your breathing is affected.
Common Causes
Often more than one thing is going on, and the cause decides the treatment.
Peri-Implantitis
Infection of the gum and bone around an implant, the implant's version of gum disease. Caught early it can often be treated; left alone, it slowly takes the bone that holds the implant.
A Loose or Broken Screw
The small screw that holds the crown can work loose or snap, so the tooth wobbles while the implant itself stays firm.
A Worn or Cracked Crown or Abutment
Years of chewing can chip the crown, or crack the connecting piece (the abutment) underneath it.
An Implant That Didn't Bond
Sometimes the bone never grows onto the implant, usually in the first few months, and the implant stays loose.
Bite Overload or Grinding
Heavy clenching, grinding or a bite that lands too hard on one implant strains the bone and the parts. A night guard can help protect it.
An Implant in a Poor Position
An implant at the wrong angle or depth can be hard to clean or to build a good crown on, and may not last as well.
What Happens at the Consultation
The consultation is free. Bring anything you have from the original treatment: an implant passport or card, notes, X-rays or guarantee paperwork, especially if the work was done abroad.
Your Story
When and where the implant was placed, what you've noticed and when it started, and your general health and medicines.
Examination
We check the implant, the crown and the gum around it, measure the gum pockets and look at how your teeth meet. X-rays are taken if they're needed at the time.
A CT Scan, If Needed
A 3D scan on our own CT scanner, £160, shows the bone around the implant and exactly where it sits.
Identifying the Implant
We work out which implant system you have from your records, an implant passport or the X-rays. Parts for some systems are hard to get, so sometimes the crown, or the implant itself, has to be replaced rather than repaired. If that's the case, we'll say so plainly.
Your Options and a Written Fee
You leave knowing what is wrong, what can be done and what each option costs, with time to decide.
Treatment Options
What we suggest depends on the cause and on how much healthy bone is left. IV sedation is available if you're anxious, at £500 a session.
Tightening or Replacing a Screw or Crown
Where the implant is firm in the bone, a loose screw can be tightened or replaced, and a worn or broken crown remade.
Treating Peri-Implantitis
Thorough cleaning around the implant, better cleaning at home and closer hygiene visits. Sometimes minor gum surgery is needed to clean the implant surface and, where possible, rebuild some bone.
Removing and Replacing the Implant
A failed implant is removed under local anaesthetic. Once the area has healed, often after a few months, a new implant can be placed, with a bone graft first if bone has been lost.
Problems with a Full Arch
Where several implants or a whole bridge are failing, one of our All-on-4 packages in Edinburgh may be the better route, sometimes with same day teeth.
Fees for Implant Problems
Repairs depend on the cause and on the implant system, so they're priced at your consultation, once we know what is wrong. A replacement implant uses our standard implant fees.
Every fee is confirmed in your written plan before treatment starts and paid in stages as treatment goes along.2 Every implant fee is listed under dental implants in Edinburgh or in our implant cost guide.
| Implant consultation | Free |
| 3D CT scan | £160 |
| Tightening or replacing a screw, or refitting a crown | priced at your consultation |
| Treating peri-implantitis | priced at your consultation |
| Removing a failed implant | priced at your consultation |
| New crown on an implant (parts for another implant system priced at your consultation) | £1,100 |
| Replacement implant | from £1,650 |
| Replacement implant and crown, with bone grafting extra | from £2,750 |
| Small bone graft | £598 |
| Larger bone graft | £998 |
| IV sedation, each session | £500 |
| Full-arch implants, each arch | from £12,500 |
Your Guarantee
Our 5-year guarantee for non-smokers who attend hygiene visits every 3 months covers implants we place here. Implants placed by another dentist, in the UK or abroad, aren't covered by it. If we replace an implant for you, we'll explain what guarantee the new one carries before you decide.
If the original clinic gave you a guarantee, read its terms before treatment here, as some no longer apply once another dentist has worked on the implant.
A Second Opinion
Been told an implant has failed, or not sure whether a problem is serious? We'll look with fresh eyes, take whatever imaging is needed and explain what we see. If the original dentist can still help, we'll say so.
Treatment abroad? Our guide to Turkey teeth repair covers crowns and veneers too, and our guide to why dental implants fail explains the causes and how to lower the risk.
Questions
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Implant Guides
5.0from 30 Google reviewsChecked 5 November 2026
Have It Looked At
Book a free implant consultation with Dr Kalsi, or send us a photo and a question on WhatsApp first.