For many patients, missing or eroded teeth can have an incredible impact on their life, from pain to self-esteem issues. There are many different ways a dentist may choose to manage a patient’s missing teeth and decide the best answer for each case. Dental implants are one way to deal with missing teeth, whether due to injury or disease, as long as the gum tissue is healthy.
Dental implant services in Houston, TX, can vary in price and style, so research is important before undergoing permanent or long-term procedures.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
This question can have many answers, and they all depend on a few different things:
- The material used
- The type of implant
- The oral hygiene and dental health of the patient
The Types of Dental Implants
There are a few different types of dental implants to consider when researching and choosing dental implants, such as the method they are attached to the jaw or gum, the permanency of the implant itself, the amount, placement, and others.
- Individual implants
- Full or partial mouth implants
- Bridges
- Fixed or removable
Implants can be applied as individual teeth in the case of a knocked-out or eroded tooth. Assuming that the surrounding gum tissue is healthy, a single tooth can be implanted alone. If any teeth are missing, a dental specialist may opt for a more connected implant with multiple crowns attached to fewer posts. This is an efficient and secure method of implanting multiple crowns at once to the jaw’s bone. This makes for a secure bite and less trauma to the gum tissue due to fewer posts connected to the jawbone. A full mouth implantation procedure would double the sections for each arch of the jawbones, both upper and lower.
Bridges are used in situations where several teeth beside each other are missing, but rather than implant three or more posts into the jaw’s bone for each tooth. The dentist uses a postless bridge to fill the gap between implants.
Implants can also be fixed to the post where the patient can not move or remove the implant’s crown, treating it like any other natural tooth, or they can be removable. This allows the crown of the implant to be taken out by the patient for cleaning or repair and can snap securely back into place when finished. This option uses pink plastic to mimic the gum around the white material of the tooth.
Materials Used for Dental Implants
Titanium
Due to its compatibility with the human body and its ability to fuse with the bone, titanium is the most common material used for dental implants. Its strength makes it very difficult to break or damage and has remained safe to use in dental and medical procedures for decades. It’s also extremely cost-effective.
Zirconia
Zirconium is a relatively discovery for dental implants. It is similar to titanium in that it is compatible with human tissue and permanent, but it is less manageable as it comes in a single piece rather than two pieces that can fit together. Zirconia is less tried and true than titanium and, therefore, is less popular.
So, How Long Do Implants Last?
Due to the material used for the implant itself and the fact that it fuses to the bone through osseointegration, the answer is: forever. They’re made to last a lifetime, so there won’t be any need to go through the experience of a potentially invasive procedure more than once for the same tooth or teeth. The material used for the crown is a different story but based on the strength of the material used for the crown and the patient’s oral hygiene, it won’t need to be replaced more than every ten to fifteen years.
Call Supreme Dentistry for a Consultation
Contact the professionals at Supreme Dentistry at
844.966.2333 for more information on how to get started with dental implant needs. The more information gained about what material and type of dental implant will be the most successful for each patient, the better the final result.
