Inside Jenny McCarthy’s infections from a failed dental implant

Even though she recently experienced some horrid health issues, Jenny McCarthy is feeling grateful ahead of the holidays.

“I’ve had nine surgeries this year, on my mouth,” “The Masked Singer” judge, 53, told People this week. “I had one infection that turned into another and another, and then I had these growths show up on my eyeballs.”

She blamed these troubles on a ceramic dental implant that went wrong.

“My teeth were falling out, implants falling out,” she explained.

She eventually had the issue resolved by doctors, revealing they “had to dig into my jawbone and chipped away, and found I had a deep bone infection. I’ve been on antibiotics for a year and have had to eat soft foods only.”

McCarthy’s dental woes persisted after shooting her annual holiday card with husband, Donnie Wahlberg.

“I had two more mouth surgeries even after that photo was taken,” she said. “I’ve been pretty unlucky.”

Dental implants are often used to restore someone’s ability to chew food and provide support for crowns, dentures and other prosthetics.

These implants generally consist of three parts — the implant post (the root), the abutment (the connector) and the crown (the visible tooth).

While implants have a 95% success rate, according to the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, there’s still room for error.

A failed dental implant will feel loose or painful, potentially making chewing difficult or spurring gum inflammation or swelling. Here’s a look at the problems that can fuel a failed one.

Infection

Most likely the cause of McCarthy’s struggles, an infection from bacterial plaque can affect the tissues around the implant.

Also called peri-implantitis, this infection can cause inflammation of the gums and even lead to bone loss.

Infections can be prevented by keeping the area as free of bacteria as possible. Anti-microbial mouthwashes help. Infections can be treated with antibiotics.

Failed integration

Around 5% to 10% of failures occur when the implant doesn’t fuse with the bone, a process called failed osseointegration.

The jawbone needs to be strong enough to support the parts of the implant and can weaken due to poor bone density or excessive pressure.

Smoking

A cigarette or tobacco habit can also poorly affect oral health.

Not only do they cause bad breath, but cigarettes can lead to tooth decay or periodontitis, a serious gum infection that can trigger severe pain and tooth loss.

Smoking can also restrict blood flow, which then cuts off the supply of oxygen and other nutrients to the bone and gum tissue, increasing the risk of tooth loss.