Early implant failure occurs when a dental implant is rejected or fails in some other way in the early stages of healing. Although failure rates are low with dental implants as a whole, there are some things that increase the risk of early implant failure. How successful a dental implant is depends largely on the patient’s overall oral health, the experience of the periodontist, where the implant is placed in the mouth, and the type of dental implant used. Early implant failure is usually due to poor osseointegration, which can indicate impaired bone healing. Risk factors for failure include but aren’t limited to smoking, infection, insufficient bone quantity, poor bone quality, and characteristics of the implant. Other risk factors may include patient age and sex, implant height and surface properties, the type of surgical procedure, and not using prophylactic antibiotics. Recognizing preventable risk factors and mitigating them can help dentists improve patient outcome.