Dental implants provide permanent replacements for missing teeth, improving the look of your smile while promoting better long-term periodontal health. Dental implants could restore your smile and confidence if gaps in your grin have impacted your self-esteem.
What are Dental Implants?
Dental implants are surgically placed in the jawbone, where they serve as the roots of the missing tooth. Their job is to hold an artificial tooth in place. Because they are fused directly to the jawbone, they provide the look, feel, and function of natural teeth. Dental implants can replace one tooth and up to a complete set of teeth in the jaw.
Benefits of Dental Implants
There are many reasons MR Dental Aesthetics patients choose dental implants. In addition to their natural look and the long-lasting life of dental implants, other benefits include:
- A beautiful smile. Each prosthetic will be carefully crafted to match its surrounding teeth, helping to achieve your desired smile.
- Better oral health. Dental implants cover exposed gums and jawbone, preventing the buildup of harmful debris and bacteria. That can reduce the chances of gum disease and promote better oral health.
- Enhanced speech quality. Missing teeth can impact one’s natural speech, especially when the absent teeth are involved in creating common sounds like “f,” “th,” and “v.” Filling these gaps with prosthetics has been shown to restore your natural speech.
- Comfortable mastication. When teeth that play a significant role in chewing are missing, eating some foods can be painful or even impossible. Replacing certain teeth with implants can make eating various foods easier.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
As a dental practice that has provided implants to hundreds of patients, the most common question we hear is, “How long do implanted teeth last?” Dental implants are permanent and designed to last a lifetime. Ninety to 95 percent of implants remain intact at the 10-year mark. Many last for decades.
Factors that Affect Dental Implants Lifespan
When properly maintained, dental implants should last the duration of the patient’s life. However, some situations can result in a shorter lifespan for your implants. When asked, “Do dental implants last forever,” we provide a thorough answer so patients can make an informed decision. Below, we’ll discuss the various factors that could affect the lifespan of your implants.
Types of Implants
Dr. Rashti will tailor your implants to align with your cosmetic goals and overall oral health. Depending on your unique circumstances, you will likely receive one of the following three types of dental implants.
Endosteal
Endosteal implants are placed directly in the jawbone and resemble small screws or cylinders. For endosteal placement, the dentist makes a small incision in your gums and then drills into your jawbone to create a space for the implant. Then, the prosthetic tooth is attached to a small post on the implant, called an abutment.
Subperiosteal
The doctor will likely recommend a subperiosteal implant if you don’t have an adequate healthy jawbone surface for endosteal implants. These implants are placed beneath the gums and on top of the jawbone. They contain a small metal framework that sticks out slightly from the gums to which your prosthetic is attached.
Mini
Mini implants might be the ideal solution for replacing only one small tooth. These tiny implants (less than three millimeters in diameter) can be placed in parts of the mouth where very little jawbone is available.
Oral Hygiene
Your oral hygiene habits will significantly influence the answer to the question, “How long do implants last? Teeth, either natural or artificial, require regular brushing and flossing to stay healthy. It’s also essential to keep up with maintenance visits with your regular dentist.
Poor oral hygiene can lead to gum disease, affecting the jawbone holding the implants. When plaque buildup causes irreversible damage to the tissue around the implant, this is known as peri-implant disease. If it progresses far enough, it can result in an implant failure.
Bone Loss
Your jawbone plays a vital role in the success of your implants. Without enough healthy jawbone to attach to, your implant can become unstable. Over time, bone loss in this critical area can pose an issue.
Bone loss can occur for several reasons. In addition to peri-implant disease, bone loss can be caused by co-occurring health conditions, including osteoporosis.
Dr. Rashti places a premium on your overall health, recognizing the close connection between oral health and nearly every systemic illness. That is why, before recommending treatment, she will discuss any existing medical conditions you have to ensure the dental procedures will promote your total well-being.
Lifestyle Habits
Your lifestyle habits can also influence the longevity of your implants. There are some activities to avoid if you want your implant to last a lifetime.
Smoking
“How long do dental implants last for smokers?” is another common question from patients. Unfortunately, smokers face an increased risk of implant failure. There are two reasons for this. Smoking restricts blood flow to the implantation site, which can prevent proper healing. Smokers also face a higher risk of gum disease than non-smokers.
Teeth Grinding
While your implants are designed to sustain everyday use, they can crack if you grind them, just like natural teeth. If you believe you might be grinding your teeth at night, Dr. Rashti can create a bite guard to help protect your implants from long-term damage.
Eating Hard Objects
It’s best to avoid chewing on hard candy or ice if you want to maximize the lifespan of your implants. When choosing foods, remember this: if it can crack a natural tooth, it can damage your implant.
Dentist Experience
Your overall satisfaction and longevity of your implants will significantly depend on the dentist who performs the procedure. You must seek out a seasoned professional in reconstructive cosmetic dentistry like Dr. Rashti. Working with an inexperienced dentist puts you at risk of issues like:
- Incorrect implant placement
- Prosthetics that don’t match your natural teeth
- Unstable implants that fail
- Tissue damage during placement
Dr. Rashti specializes in dental implants and brings several decades of experience performing this procedure for satisfied patients. To ensure a tailored experience at every step, Dr. Rashti will be the only dentist you work with; you will have her undivided attention in every appointment.
What to Expect When Getting Dental Implants
Before beginning treatment, Dr. Rashti will invite you for a consultation, during which she’ll assess your overall dental health to determine which type of implant will best support your mouth’s functioning and cosmetic goals. She’ll also answer any questions you might have, including “How long does a tooth implant last?” and “Do I need follow-up visits?”
On the day of your implant placement surgery, Dr. Rashti will create a small incision in the gum line and place the implant directly into the jawbone. Then, depending on the type of implant you receive, she’ll cover the implant with either a temporary prosthetic or abutment until the area of the incision is healed. She will add your permanent prosthetic once your mouth has recovered from the placement surgery.
Cosmetic Dental Solutions from MR Dental Aesthetics
Dental implants are a durable, long-lasting solution to replace missing teeth, and working with a skilled dentist will ensure they blend seamlessly with natural teeth, leading to a confident smile and improved oral function.
Your comfort comes first at MR Dental Aesthetics. Dr. Rashti specializes in treating patients with dental phobia. So before deciding on a treatment plan, Dr. Rashti will speak to you extensively about your concerns and present you with all the information and options you need to go into your procedure feeling relaxed and confident.If you have been wondering, “Are dental implants permanent?”, they can last a lifetime with proper care, especially when placed by an experienced dentist like Dr. Rashti. Book your consultation with MR Dental Aesthetics today and rebuild your beautiful smile.
