How long do Dental Implants Last?

At our practice, we don't just "place implants"—we design long-term healthcare solutions. While nothing in the human body can be 100% guaranteed, dental implants are designed to be the most durable tooth-replacement option in modern medicine.

The Two-Part System

To understand longevity, we have to look at the two distinct components of your treatment:

The Implant (The Root): This is the titanium cylinder placed in your jawbone. It is incredibly robust. Even if the visible tooth wears down over 15 or 20 years, the implant itself usually remains intact, allowing us to simply replace the crown on top without further surgery.

The Restoration (The Tooth): This is the ceramic crown or bridge that you see. Just like a natural tooth, it is subject to the daily forces of biting and chewing. While made from high-strength ceramics, it can experience wear and tear over decades.

The Pillars of Longevity: Maintenance and Monitoring

We often tell our patients that a dental implant is like a high-performance car: it will last for decades, but only if it is maintained.

The Importance of Early Detection: We recommend a check-up at least once a year. By taking regular X-rays, we can monitor the bone levels around your implant. If an issue is caught early, it is easily managed; if left too long, it can lead to failure.

Prosthetic Design: Long-term success is dictated by "cleanability." If a tooth is designed poorly, it harbours bacteria. We take immense pride in designing restorations that allow you (and our hygienists) to keep the area spotless, protecting the bone from infection.

Protecting Your Investment: Avoiding "Overload"

A common reason for ceramic fractures is overloading. If you replace your front teeth with implants but leave missing gaps in the back of your mouth, those new implants are forced to do all the work. To ensure your implants last, it is vital to look at the support of your entire smile to distribute biting forces evenly.

Material Choices for Full-Smile Restorations

For patients undergoing a full-mouth transformation (like All-on-4), the choice of material significantly impacts both the cost and the lifespan:

Premium Solutions: Using the highest-tier ceramics and advanced milling techniques creates a restoration that is as close to "permanent" as modern science allows.

Long-term Provisionals: In some cases, we offer a less expensive, "long-term provisional" material. This allows patients to achieve a life-changing result at a lower initial cost, with the understanding that these teeth may need to be remade or upgraded sooner.

The Final Verdict

If an implant is placed by an experienced surgeon, in healthy bone, and is maintained with professional cleanings and annual check-ups, you can expect it to last decades. It is not just a dental procedure; it is a long-term commitment to your quality of life.

If you would really like to take a deep dive, check out some of the hundreds of videos I have on my YouTube Channel (but you wont find this series on there).

To see what we are doing day to day, you can join us on Instagram, where you can either follow Dr Gurs Sehmi, or The Wraysbury Clinic

Speak soon!

Gurs

Talk To Us