How Long Do Dental Implants Last?

There are many reasons why nearly 5 million dental implants are placed each year in the United States. From superior stability to providing a long-term solution for missing teeth, dental implants have a lot going for them.

At Willow Glen Dental Specialists, our team has considerable experience placing dental implants, and we’re often asked how long they’ll last. And our answer is always the same — that depends on you.

Let’s dive into what we mean.

Dental implants have staying power

The first thing to understand about dental implants is that the replacement tooth has two parts — the metal post that makes up the implant part and the crown that’s attached to the post.

If we're just talking about the metal post, we’re happy to report that they have an incredibly good track record when it comes to staying power. For example, one study found that 90-95% of implants are still in place after 10 years. In our experience, they can last a lot longer than that.

The reason for this is that the metal post is fused into your jawbone and becomes, for all intents and purposes, a new root for your tooth.

Crowns are more fragile

The crown that we place over the implant is made from tough materials — ceramics and porcelain — that are designed to be long-lasting, but they’re not as tough as your natural teeth.

If you take care to use the crown wisely and not as a tool to open packages or to indulge an ice-chewing habit, the replacement tooth can last for 10 years or more. If you’re rough on the crown, however, you may need a replacement sooner.

The good news is that replacing the crown is relatively easy — we simply place a new prosthetic on your existing implant.

Managing your dental health

The biggest way you can shorten the life of a dental implant is to let gum disease go untreated. If you develop gum disease and it starts to eat away at the hard tissues surrounding your dental implant, the replacement tooth can come loose. This same result can happen with your natural teeth when you have gum disease.

So, to protect your dental implant, as well as your remaining natural teeth, it’s critical that you stay one step ahead of gum disease through regular cleanings and dental exams with us.

The bottom line is that a dental implant can provide you with a replacement tooth that can last for decades, if you take care of the implant and your overall dental health.

If you have questions about dental implants, we’re happy to provide you with the information you need. To get started, please contact our office in San Jose, California, at 408-478-9081 or request an appointment using our online form.