“How long does an implant last?”
I am a 40 year old male and I got a dental implant put in. How long does an implant last?
5 Answers
Implants life mainly depends upon your health, oral hygeine, restoration, and correct placement.
In a perfect world, they would last as long as you do! They are made from titanium, which is incredibly durable; the material itself will not degrade nor is it susceptible to developing decay, and is bio-compatible (hypoallergenic). With that being said, an implant can still fail for different reasons. The ones that you have the most influence over are the level of cleanliness that you keep with it, and your overall level of health. That means you have to clean it just like the rest of your teeth - brushing and flossing, and regular dental cleanings. Also, eliminating smoking/nicotine, if you use it; that can cause the implant to fail prematurely. And a healthy diet to support bone and soft tissue health is important. There are other things that can impact it, such as diabetes, bone density/osteoporosis and tooth grinding, but you may not have as much influence over them. Success rates according to dental studies is anywhere between 92 to 98% over the long term. I would stress again that, while an implant can fail just like any other tooth, with proper care they should last you a lifetime.
With proper care, it could last a lifetime!
There is no set time an implant is expected to last, as there are many health related factors that cannot always be controlled. However, with good periodontal and overall health, an implant can last a lifetime.
Hello,
This is actually a very good question to ask. Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple or straightforward. The idea is to get the implant to last forever (or as long as we possibly can). There are factors that come into play with the longevity of an implant though. Obvious factors that lower the longevity are periodontal disease, smoking, and lack of cleaning. Non- obvious factors the lower the longevity are: the tooth the implant is replacing, the size and shape of the bone, the size and shape of the implant, the angle the implant is placed on, the person placing the implant, the amount of contact on the tooth part of the implant, and the person restoring the implant. A lot of these factors are why you see different prices for implants. Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
This is actually a very good question to ask. Unfortunately, the answer is not so simple or straightforward. The idea is to get the implant to last forever (or as long as we possibly can). There are factors that come into play with the longevity of an implant though. Obvious factors that lower the longevity are periodontal disease, smoking, and lack of cleaning. Non- obvious factors the lower the longevity are: the tooth the implant is replacing, the size and shape of the bone, the size and shape of the implant, the angle the implant is placed on, the person placing the implant, the amount of contact on the tooth part of the implant, and the person restoring the implant. A lot of these factors are why you see different prices for implants. Hope this helps.
My best to you!
William F. Scott IV, DMD
