Dental implants come with a range of benefits, including the preservation of the jawbone which prevents shifting teeth and changes in the facial structure. They can last for a lifetime, are low maintenance, and fully restore the function and appearance of the teeth.
You can experience full freedom with dental implants with no food or activity restrictions. The benefits of dental implants far outweigh other tooth replacement options like dental bridges or dentures. To find out more about what parts of dental implants need to be replaced, how often, and how to prevent implant failure, read on.
Dental implants can last anywhere from 25 years to a lifetime with proper oral care. However, it’s important to understand the full anatomy of the dental implant to understand where a replacement will come into play.
A dental implant is a titanium post that will be implanted into the jawbone. Over 3-6 months, this post will fuse with the jawbone through osseointegration, causing the jawbone to be stimulated every time you chew. This prevents bone loss and allows your tooth restoration to function like a real tooth.
Once osseointegration has been complete, an abutment is screwed onto the implant. Impressions of your teeth are used to create a tooth restoration in the form of a dental crown. This crown is the final component of your implant which is fitted onto the abutment 6 weeks later.
This last component of the implant - the crown - is what will need to be replaced every 5-15 years. The actual implant will remain in place and give you no trouble as long as you take good care of your teeth. Implants are low maintenance so there is no special cleaning regimen required outside of the usual brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and flossing once daily.
Dental implants are 95% effective. Factors impacting implant success rate include who placed the implant, where the implant is located, on how well you take care of your implants. There are two primary ways that a dental implant can fail. An implant can either shift out of place due to inadequate bone tissue or developing peri-implantitis.
The following are risk factors for implant failure:
Though only about 5% of dental implants fail, this can happen shortly after the procedure or many years later so it's important to look for warning signs and take care of your teeth.
Since implant failure can happen at any stage, it’s important to go to a reputable oral surgeon, follow proper aftercare procedures, and maintain oral hygiene. The following are signs you should look out for that suggest an implant failure:
Dental implants are the longest lasting most effective tooth restoration available. Only dental implants can preserve jawbone density and prevent further bone loss. Replace missing teeth with high-quality dental implants and experience fully functional teeth again. Contact us at Mandeville Center for Dental Excellence today or schedule a consultation with Dr. Charles Schof to find out if dental implants are right for you.
