Dental implants are among the most stable and natural-looking dental tooth restoration options. They are perfect as a long-term replacement, but exactly how long do dental implants last?
Because implants are a significant investment in your oral health, it is only sensible to ask that question. The implant receiver’s lifestyle and oral hygiene choices are the determining factors when answering this question.
Over the last few years, dental implant technology has evolved to a great extent, and implant failures and related problems are much less common than they used to be. The fact remains that inadequate care and incorrect maintenance of your dental implants might not make them last as long as you wish them to.
What are Dental Implants
Dental implants can replace your missing teeth from the root to the crown. Their long-term use and reliability are thanks to their solid foundation.
The implant’s root is a titanium screw inserted into your jawbone and allowed sufficient time to fuse adequately, a process called osseointegration. This artificial tooth root behaves as a strong anchor for your prosthetic tooth. A dental implant can also behave as a strong anchor for bridges and dentures.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last? – Explained
With proper maintenance and care, implants can last for 10 to 30 years. The factors affecting a dental implant’s longevity mainly depend on the person using them.
Oral Health
Oral health is one of the most deciding factors when considering the lifespan of dental implants. You may have lost a tooth and gotten it replaced with a prosthetic one, but your new artificial tooth requires just as much care and maintenance as your natural teeth.
Most dental implant installations include titanium posts and porcelain crowns with high decay resistance. However, the bone that fuses to the post and surrounding gum tissue is not immune to infections.
Lifestyle
Your lifestyle choices play a huge role in deciding the longevity of a dental implant. When you get a dental implant installed, your body depends on adequate blood flow to the implant site for the area to heal correctly. This is vital during the initial stages of your implant treatment.
Bad lifestyle choices such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can affect the lifespan of your implants. Smoking leads to a tremendous amount of bacterial plaque, and excessive alcohol consumption does not allow your body to rebuild the cells and blood vessels that are lost or damaged and can numb the healing signals of your body.
Damage or Injury
Impacting events that are out of your control can also lead to a negative response. Your implant can have a limited lifespan due to an injury or accident that is beyond your control. The titanium posts in your jawbone are fairly solid, but the porcelain prosthetic teeth are vulnerable to damage as much as your natural teeth.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Pre-existing medical conditions are a major determining factor when asking yourself, “How long do dental implants last?”.
A weak immune system or chronic medical conditions such as diabetes can considerably impact your treatment process and elongate your healing process. Out-of-control diabetes can lead to implant failure, making your oral cavity more susceptible to infections and diseases.
Location of the Implant
Each one of your teeth has a different role and function, whether it is chewing, speaking, eating, or biting. Therefore, the location of the implant does make a difference in its lifespan.
Implants located at the back of your mouth face more pressure.
Unconscious teeth grinding, or bruxism, can also put extreme stress on your teeth and affect your dental implant. An elevated case of bruxism can put undue pressure on the implant and loosen it.
How Often Should You Get Dental Implants Replaced?
Dental implants tend to have a healthy success rate and only fail when the patient has a bad reaction to the implant or if there is not enough bone density to provide adequate support for the implant.
Implants don’t usually need to be replaced very often, but if they do, it is because of the following reasons:
- A loose implant that is moving around or falling out.
- An infection at the implant site accompanied by fever, discharge, and bleeding.
- Unusual sinus problems.
- A stinging or numbing pain in the surrounding gum tissue.
- Significant nerve damage on the implant site.
How to Ensure the Longevity of Your Dental Implants
To increase the lifespan of your dental implants, ensure to follow the below-mentioned tips:
Maintain Proper Oral Hygiene
Keeping your gums and surrounding teeth healthy is vital in improving the longevity of your dental implants. Brush and clean your teeth when you wake up in the morning and again before sleeping, and floss at least once every day. Use an antiseptic mouthwash to ensure the removal of all food debris.
Choose an Expert Implant Dentist
How long your dental implant can last is directly related to how much of an expert your dentist is in installing the implant. Choosing the right dentist for your implant procedure and using the latest technology to ensure proper implant installation goes a long way in ensuring that your implant lasts long.
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
Your routine dental visits can help ensure a long-lasting implant. Professional cleanings and care tips from your dentist can keep your implant strong and healthy. Teeth cleaning and oral examination can help spot problems and address them quickly.
Quit Smoking & Tobacco Products
Smoking is among the most terrible habits affecting your dental implant. It does not allow your implant to solidify from the beginning, leading to implant failure.
Smoking affects your health in general, and in the case of dental restoration procedures, it can dramatically increase the number of complications that can arise.
Bottomline
Dental implants have proven to be a reliable and long-lasting solution for replacing missing teeth. While the lifespan of dental implants can vary depending on various factors, such as oral hygiene, overall health, and individual habits, studies and clinical experience suggest that with proper care and maintenance, dental implants can last for a significant period, often lasting a lifetime.
