A dental implant consists of a titanium post that is surgically placed in the jaw to act as an artificial tooth root. When all goes well, the implant fuses with the bone through a process called osseointegration to form a solid hold. Then a porcelain crown is attached to the top. However, in some cases the dental implant does not properly fuse with the bone. When osseointegration fails to occur, the implant may come loose or even fall out. In other cases an infection occurs at the implant site, called peri-implantitis, which causes bone loss around the implant due to inflammation. The symptoms of peri-implantitis are similar to the symptoms of gum disease, including bleeding and swollen gums.