How Long Do Dental Implants Actually Last? – are they for life?

How Long Do Dental Implants Actually Last?. The dental implants have an average life of between 15 to 25 years. However, the numbers can vary based on a number of factors. 

In most cases, the implant itself is permanent, as the titanium (implant material) fuses with the jawbone in a process called osseointegration, and lasts as long as the jawbone is there, often for the rest of the patient’s life, assuming proper maintenance is in place and the patient receives regular dental check-ups twice a year.

The most important factor in the expected longevity of a dental implant is hygiene, if dental cleaning is poor, bacteria will accumulate on the surface of the implant and cause inflammation of the mucous membrane that surrounds the implant, this is what is known like mucositis. 

If left untreated, mucositis can progress to a more dangerous condition called peri-implantitis, in which there is inflammation and bone loss around the implant. Eventually, the implant loses its anchor in the bone and becomes loose.

The lifespan of dental implants can also be affected by health factors, such as diabetes or cancer, or by habits such as smoking, factors that greatly increase the likelihood of dental implant failure.

In any case, dental implants should be maintained through regular brushing and flossing, and you should also avoid biting hard things on them, as just as you can break a natural tooth, you can also break a cap. on an implant.

The dental crown, on the other hand, has a shorter life than an implant, lasting approximately 10-15 years before normal wear and tear may cause the tooth to require replacement, although excellent dental hygiene could extend the life span. of a dental crown beyond the age of 15.

What does the duration of dental implants depend on?

Dental implants are a stable and long-lasting solution.

However, the duration and effectiveness of implants in the mouth will depend, to a great extent, on the case and the patient’s lifestyle.

Roughly, there are two factors that directly influence the result of the implant duration :

Factors related to the intervention

Before the intervention itself, some factors are already determining the duration of the implant in your mouth.

The first of them is the choice of the professional who is going to intervene on you. To guarantee a good result, the professional must be specialized in implants.

In turn, the implantologist of your choice must carry out his activity with professional ethics, in order to choose the highest quality implants for the intervention.

It goes without saying that implants are made of exceptionally strong materials such as titanium. In addition, they are designed to withstand chewing forces with a wide safety margin.

Starting from that base, you should know that there are several brands of dental implants.

If you find the best implantologist and good implants, you should know that most implant procedures are successful.

According to the Society of Periodontology and Osseointegration (SEPA), 98% of dental implants are successfully integrated into the bone.

Post-intervention factors

However, and although it is extremely rare, it may happen that, with the passage of time, an implant breaks or fractures.

Apart from this occasional mechanical accident, the problems suffered by implants are more attributable to the tissues that surround them than to the implant itself.

In this sense, there are three cases that can lead to tissue loss in the area surrounding the implant: local conditions, systemic conditions and implant overload .

Let’s take a detailed look at each of them.

• Local conditions: Bacteria accumulate around an implant just as they would around a natural tooth. If proper hygiene is not carried out, the gums will become inflamed and, finally, will cause a degradation of the bone that supports the tooth.
• Systemic diseases: any disease that affects the repair of bones or other tissues is capable of causing wear and tear and depletion of the bone tissue that supports the implant.
• Implant site overload: teeth engage in activities such as eating, swallowing and speaking under varying degrees of force. These forces are generally physiological in nature. Overloads (due to emotional stress, gum, etc.) can cause microfactures in the union between the bone and the implant and produce, over time, a resorption and disappearance of bone tissue.

In other words, if the implant has been optimally placed and good guidelines have been followed over the years, it is normal (except for a few specific cases) that the implants last for many years in the mouth.

Biological complications may also appear (such as mucositis and peri-implantitis) that reduce the duration of the implants.

To detect the development of this pathology early, clinical (eg: bleeding on probing) and radiological (characteristic bone loss) controls of single implants are necessary.

Dental implants: are they for life?

The truth is that dental implants are designed to be a definitive treatment. That is, they do not have an expiration date or an estimated half-life.

However, different published studies have established that 90% of implants placed more than ten years ago maintain their functionality today.

The research “Dental treatment with single-implants. A 5-year study”detects an implant survival rate of 97.2% at 5 years and 95.2% at 10 years.

This means that 95% of all implants inserted last a period of at least 5 years without any problems , and that only 5% of implants have had to be removed before the 5-year limit.

In fact, the lifespan of an implant can be stretched up to 20 years . Something that happens in those patients whose implant maintenance is performed optimally.

Therefore, although implants can last for many years, this will depend, in large part, on you.Take care of your implants

To maximize the duration of the implants, it is essential to maintain good hygiene at home, not smoke and go to the check-ups prescribed by the implantologist.

Can I do something to extend the duration of the dental implant?

After the intervention, the implantologist indicates guidelines to the patient so that the implant adaptation is successful and the postoperative period is as bearable as possible.

Once the adaptation phase is over, the duration of the implant in the mouth will depend on several factors that we will see below.

If you want your implants to exceed 10 years in the mouth , pay attention to the following indications:

Daily dental hygiene

Survival in time of implants has a lot to do with the daily dental hygiene routine of the patient.

And there is no excuse, since the hygiene guidelines for an implant are the same as for cleaning a natural tooth .

Therefore, patients who want to keep their implants for longer, should have a good hygiene routine controlling bacterial plaque .

For this, it is essential to carry out a good dental brushing (of teeth and tongue) and to use hygiene accessories such as interproximal brushes, oral floss or irrigators, among others.

Healthy life style

Another point to take into account is the patient’s lifestyle, which directly affects both the success of the implant placement and its survival over time.

The snuff is one of the main causes of the integration of the implant with the bone fails because it slows healing, inflammation and hinders generates osseointegration.

Smoking can not only cause the integration of your implant to fail, it will also reduce the duration of the implant.

But tobacco is not the only problem that directly affects the duration of your implants. The stress , for example, is one of the most common problems.

In fact, people who suffer from a chronic stress problem should go to the best dental implant specialist and always opt for the best implant brands. It is the only way to guarantee its success and durability.

Frequent dental check-ups

Many professionals have assumed that, to guarantee the long-term success of a dental implant, good implant placement and good patient hygiene are necessary.

However, not all patients have assumed that it is essential to carry out a periodic check-up with a dental hygienist.

Thus, the professional can periodically review and evaluate the possible problems that interfere with the good “health” of the implant.

The main reason for the revisions is to control the optimal condition of the tissues that surround the implant, both the gum and the bone, and as well as to check that the force supported by the implant is correct .

In this sense, patients with implants should go for a checkup once every 6 months. Although, depending on the patient’s case, the dentist may schedule more frequent check-ups.

Do you know how long a Dental Implant lasts?

Yes, certainly those looking for a way to recover their smile are concerned with the longevity of this procedure, not least because the suffering of not being able to smile and chew naturally is a problem that no one wants to have for the second time. But is that possible?

Long-lasting material

In the case of the Dental Implants procedure, the intention is to keep them permanently in the patient’s mouth, so that this person will never have to worry about it again.

And it is exactly so that can guarantee the greater durability of this process the use  Titanium Implants, a material that ensures biological compatibility with the patient’s bone tissue and that allows the permanent placement of fixed teeth.

In general, the implant will be installed and will never be removed from the patient’s mouth, since it works as a “screw” that is attached by the bone structure. However, what can be considered a provisional item of the procedure is the tooth that will be installed on this implant.

Why can the tooth be considered a provisional item?

Because the tooth can be made from various materials such as acrylic resin or porcelain and this manufacturing process can determine whether the tooth will have a life more limited or long life .

Depending on this option for provisional or definitive materials, the ideal is that the choice is made by the patient together with the professional responsible for the treatment, who can help to clarify which is the best option for your specific case.

So, is it possible to say that the implant lasts forever?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to guarantee this condition with 100% certainty, as there is a possibility that the patient may develop an infectious bone problem in the future, such as advanced osteoporosis or a disease of the same nature. In this case, the problem may be treated by the same professional responsible for carrying out the treatment.

Evaluation is key!

Regardless of the patient’s dental problem or the choice of material for making teeth, it is very important that there is a thorough assessment of the case so that an efficient treatment plan with Dental Implants can be made . Always count on a qualified and reliable professional to guarantee the effectiveness and safety of the procedure. 

Four tips for the hygiene of your dental prostheses

The prosthetic teeth, like our natural teeth, require good hygiene to keep in good condition. Here are five tips to help you do this: Have excellent oral hygiene.

To prevent bacterial infections, it is important to brush and floss your teeth regularly. Infections can weaken your gums and cause bone loss. If this happens, your prosthetic teeth are in danger of loosening or falling out.Use the right tools

Choosing cleaning tools specifically designed for dental implants will help keep them in good shape for as long as possible. Specific brushes are much better suited to reach all the nooks and crannies of the implants. Visit your dentist for regular checkups

If you have prosthetic teeth, schedule semiannual checkups with your dentist. They can ensure that your dental implants and prosthetic teeth fit properly, are in good condition, and provide you with a thorough cleaning to keep your gums healthy. Avoid tobacco products.

Smoking, in particular, has been shown to inhibit blood flow around the gums and teeth. When your mouth and gums don’t get enough blood, it can affect healing and increase your risk of bone loss.

Depending on the type of prosthesis you wear, you will also need to carry out a more specialized cleaning routine, ask your hygienist for the necessary care if you have more complicated prostheses, such as a bridge with several implants , implants with artificial gums, or a complete denture.