How Long Will Dental Implants Last?

Does this ‘gold standard’ of tooth replacement methods offer a long term solution?

It is widely accepted that dental implants offer the most lifelike, natural replacement for a tooth that has been lost. Unlike other methods, the implant itself replaces the root of the missing tooth and creates a secure and stable bond with the jawbone. This means that implants do not move and even the chewiest foods present no problems.

While many people understand that this method provides the best solution, there are ‘challenges’ for some of our Burton patients. The procedure does require minor surgery and usually takes longer than most other treatments. In addition to this, it can require more investment when compared to replacing missing teeth with either dentures or a bridge. Because of this, patients want to be sure that they are getting good value for money. Dentures sometimes break and need to be replaced or adjusted, as does a dental bridge in some situations. Understandably then, patients of the SG Dental and Implant Centre usually want to have some understanding of how long implants will last once they have become established. Let’s take a closer look at this now.

The crown

Before we look at this question relating to the implant, it is worth mentioning that the crown part of the replacement tooth may need to be changed before the implant nears the end of its life. This is because it can, in unusual situations, become damaged. As the crown will not discolour like a natural tooth, as a patient’s teeth darken in colour, this can leave this one ‘tooth’ looking a different shade from the rest. Some patients will want to rectify this for aesthetic reasons. Changing a crown is reasonably straightforward though and simply involves removing it from the abutment that connects it to the implant and then replacing it.

Dental implant longevity

So the main question as to how long our Burton patients can expect dental implants to last now needs to be addressed. For the purposes of this blog, we are going to assume that the initial procedure was successful and that the patient followed the usual healing guidelines.

From this point on, the health of the implant will largely depend on how well you look after it. With good care, a modern dental implant can last for twenty years and very often many more. In fact, the very first dental implant, which was placed by the scientist who discovered them, Dr. Per-Ingvar Brånemark, lasted for forty years. So much will depend on the care that is taken.

The good news is that most of this care is simply common sense and doesn’t require any fiddly cleaning like dentures do. With that said, it is important that potential implant patients should consider their own lifestyle and if they can adapt to any changes needed before they make the decision to go ahead. We hope the following section will help you make an informed decision about this.

Gum disease

The fact is that the crown and the implant itself won’t decay. This is a positive but some people might feel that this means they needn’t keep it clean. This would be a really bad mistake and could easily lead to the implant failing. The biggest factor in this is gum disease and related issues such as peri-implantitis which affects the soft and hard tissues around the implant. As with periodontitis, this advanced form of gum disease attacks the soft tissue and bone surrounding the implant. As this becomes damaged, the implant may work loose and eventually even fall out.

Keeping gum disease at bay is straightforward and requires no more than you should be doing anyway. Good brushing with a healthy toothbrush is essential, as is flossing between the teeth and implant. You should also see the hygienist every six months for a professional clean to help ensure that gum disease is not a problem. Some patients may need to do this more often if they are at higher risk, as might apply to smokers and diabetics for example.

Smoking

Smoking is terrible both for general and oral health and it is one of the biggest causes of gum disease. As mentioned above, this can lead to implant failure so stopping smoking is one of the biggest things that you can do to help keep your tooth implant healthy.

Teeth grinding

One good reason to see a dentist on a regular basis is that they can often detect early signs of teeth grinding (bruxism). While most patients won’t suffer from this, if you do, your Burton dentist might recommend a night guard to wear while you sleep to prevent damage to both your teeth and any implants that you might have.

Damage from sports

While some accidents are unavoidable, certain scenarios put us at a greater risk. A good example of this is if you play football or rugby. If you play professionally or regularly, it might be worth considering wearing removable dentures until you stop playing. If you already have implants though and have started to play, there is a real risk of damage to the implant and the surrounding bone. In this situation, wearing a protective mouth guard will go a long way to reducing these risks to your implant and teeth in general.

Check ups

It should be obvious, but as with your teeth, your dental implant needs to be monitored during your regular check up appointments. A failure to keep these will increase the risk of potential threats to your implant as well as your natural teeth. Make sure that you have appointments booked to see one of our dentists on a regular basis. We hope that the above will explain why we think that not only are teeth implants a strong tooth replacement method, but that they also actually represent good value for money. Their longevity and ease of keeping clean makes them a very effective and convenient way of replacing any missing teeth.

If you would like to arrange an initial consultation with us about treatment options, please call the SG Dental and Implant Centre Today on 01283 845345.