You can expect your dental implant to last a lifetime when you get excellent dental care and practice good oral hygiene. Dental implants are a popular tooth replacement technique because they help patients replace one or several missing or damaged teeth. Implants are just as good if not better than your original teeth. They are designed to look, feel and function like your natural teeth. Patients find that the implants provide comfort and restore their genuine smile and sense of confidence. If you consider getting dental implants, you can visit this dental implants center in Culver City.
Dental implants are a permanent solution and are designed to last a lifetime. They have a lifespan between 20 to thirty years, depending on a range of factors highlighted below. Read on to learn more about how the various types of implants stack up against each other when compared for longevity. You will also discover what you can do to extend the shelf life of your dental implants.
Dental Implant Materials
Dental implants must be made of a biocompatible and stable material that will resist corrosion and fracturing. The material should also not have allergic or toxic effects on human organs or tissue. Experts discovered that Titanium and Zirconia implants have the right strength and toughness to create long-lasting implants.
Titanium alloy implants are the most popular because the material is very strong and durable while maintaining good plasticity. Since titanium tends to grind during surgery, various impurities are added to the pure material before the implants are fabricated. It would be best if you opted for titanium implants because the material is biocompatible, light, durable, and corrosion-resistant.
Zirconia dental implants are much newer than the titanium variation. The material is considered the most promising among all dental implant materials. The full abutment use of Zirconia dental implants began in the early 1990s. Unlike the titanium implants, Zirconia implants are white and not visible under the crown because their shade is very similar to that of your natural teeth. They are mainly used when a patient is allergic to titanium or is experiencing intense pain during the implantation.
Dental Implant Technique
Your dental implant will need to be done by a skilled professional who can guarantee your excellent care. All implant components must be expertly installed because they will all affect the total lifespan. Implants usually last very long because they fuse with the surrounding jawbone, which protects them from anything that may cause damage. The implant itself, when well cared for, is very capable of lasting a lifetime. The other two elements, the abutment and prosthesis, are more likely to suffer damage and require replacement.
Position of the Implant
The implant-supported restorations (the prosthesis and abutment) will be constantly exposed to the forces of biting and chewing, which eventually wear out their exterior surface. These elements are expected to have a lifespan of between ten and fifteen years, after which they will need to be replaced. The precise lifespan will vary depending on factors like the type of prosthesis, the patient’s oral hygiene habits, and the placement of the implant. For example, an implant-supported denture is likely to have a shorter lifespan than a single crown implanted in the front of the mouth. The implant-supported denture will be subjected to the sizeable chewing force that affects your row of back teeth, while the single crown will not suffer much pressure.
How to Prolong the Lifespan of Your Dental Implants
The lifespan of your dental implants will primarily be dictated by your dentist’s skills and how you care for them. Patients are encouraged to practice excellent oral health standards, e.g., brushing twice daily and ensuring they schedule two dental checkups per year. Oral health is the best way to keep threats to your implant, e.g., gum disease and loss of jawbone density, at bay. Dentists ensure you do not have any oral infections and that your jawbone is strong enough to support the implant for a lifetime.
Lifestyle choices like heavy drinking and excessive smoking dramatically affect your dental implant shelf life, especially during the first stages of your implant treatment. Nicotine affects your healing by affecting your oxygen levels, blood flow and vessels. Smoking will also increase your chances of producing bacterial plaque, which may cause an infection that prevents the healing of the implant. Patients are advised to wait at least 72 hours after dental implant surgery before consuming alcoholic drinks, which reduces the chances of recovery by thinning the patient’s blood and preventing clotting, which is an essential part of healing. Alcohol also dehydrates a patient’s tissues which slows the healing process.
