The Truth About Dental Implant Longevity
When consulting with patients before undergoing dental implants in Richmond, one of the first questions they normally ask is “How long do they last?” The issue is that as dental professionals it would be wrong for us to suggest that implants will last a lifetime as it might not always be the case.
Take our natural teeth for example. In theory they should last us a lifetime, however as we’re all aware, that doesn’t always happen. As dentists we know that the vast majority of teeth problems stem from improper oral care at home or a failure to seek treatment when needed. When it comes to dental implants, the exact same principles apply. Dental implants rely on a two-way lifelong commitment from both the dentist and the patient. The dentist needs to make sure that they give the very best after care so that any problems can be spotted and dealt with early on. At the same time the patient needs to continually practice high standards of oral hygiene. This means regular and proper brushing and flossing. Failure to do this can result in implants coming under attack from disease, just as your normal teeth would.
What about lifestyle?
Believe it or not your lifestyle and the choices you make can also play a part in the longevity of a dental implant. In Richmond for example here at Sheen Dental we always make people aware of the dangers that smoking and alcohol have on the success rates of dental implants. In some instances unconscious stress related issues such as teeth grinding (Bruxism) can also lead to early implant failure. For this reason a person who lives a well-balanced and healthy life is often better suited to implant longevity.
Okay, so how long can they last?
One thing that we do know for sure is that when a modern-day dental implant was fitted to the very first patient (Gösta Larsson in 1965) it remained intact until his death in 2006 some 41 years later. The issue is that many patients who have had implants fitted in the last ten or twenty years remain very much alive and therefore still have their implants in place. For this reason there’s no way of telling the true lifespan of an implant. What we can say with some degree of certainty is that if a patient looks after their implants properly and attends regular dental check-ups then there’s no reason why implants can’t last twenty years or more. However, how much more, we don’t really know!
To find out more about dental implants in Richmond contact Dr Harmit Kalsi and the team at Sheen Dental by visiting our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk or alternatively speak to us directly on 020 8876 5277 where you can book yourself a free, no-obligation consultation.