Many question if dental implants will last forever? That is a great question, in fact, a dental implant is designed to be a permanent solution for missing teeth and has become the standard tooth-replacement option. When dental implants are properly maintained the implant itself can last a lifetime, assuming the patient receives regular dental check-ups twice a year. It’s also very important to listen to your dentist’s recommendations for the best ways to care for your implant(s) after the procedure. It’s typical for implants to last a lifetime, but this depends on how well the implant is cared for in the months and years following the procedure.
Unlike dentures, a dental implant provides sufficient support that acts as a natural tooth and can withstand biting or chewing without slipping. Because dental implants are attached to the interior jawbone, they’re not subject to decay and they don’t put stress on other teeth, both of which are common problems with dental bridges. When you’re missing multiple teeth and are looking for a permanent solution for replacement, we can place implants to support a bridge with multiple teeth. This doesn’t require you to have an implant placed for every missing tooth, but rather a couple of implant screws used as anchors for a bridge to span multiple teeth. This allows you to avoid using your natural teeth as bridge supports which in the long run can weaken and damage your natural teeth.
You also want to make sure to follow guidance from your dentist regarding the foods you should and shouldn’t eat. Natural teeth have ligaments between the tooth and the bone to provide a kind of cushion when you eat something hard, like candy. Implants don’t have this same buffer and instead, the pressure from hard foods is put directly on the bone.
With the right attention and care though, your implants can last many years without issue!
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