Dental implants have been around for a long time and are a great way to keep your smile beautiful if you have damaged or missing teeth. Since dental implants look and feel just like your natural teeth, they can help you feel more confident. They also make it easier for you to speak and eat since your prosthodontist secures them in your jaw with titanium posts. They aren’t coming loose any time soon! However, you might ask yourself, “I live in Bethlehem, PA and I’m looking into dental implants. Do they wear out over time?” If you’re going to invest the time and money into dental implants, you want to know that they will last.
How Long Do Dental Implants Last?
You may have heard that dental implants last about 25 years and that’s true - so long as you take care of them. Whether or not your dental implants last 25 years or longer is influenced by a variety of factors:
● Daily flossing and brushing
● Regular dentist visits every 6 months
● Avoiding chewing or biting down on extremely hard items such as pens
● Not opening items with your teeth
● Your lifestyle and overall health
● How well your prosthodontist placed your dental implants
The biggest reason your dental implants won’t last is if the procedure failed. Although complications are rare and easily fixed, they can happen. It’s important you follow routine maintenance care of your dental implants to make sure they don’t fail. During the dental implant process, your prosthodontist will examine your surrounding teeth, hard and soft tissues in order to make sure your dental implants will work properly. The prosthodontist might also adjust your bite in order to avoid the force of heavy biting.
Failure of Dental Implants
Dental implants are usually made of titanium metal and are strong, however, there is still a chance that they can break or bend over time. If your implant is exposed to excessive forces such as grinding your teeth or a punch to the face, your implant can be damaged. If your implant becomes damaged, it can be saved and repaired easily if you go to your prosthodontist immediately and don’t wait. Dental implants are designed to last a long time and are a long-term, permanent solution for missing or damaged teeth. If you live in Bethlehem, PA and are looking into dental implants, call Advanced Prosthodontics today at (610) 865-4222 to learn more and see if you are an implant candidate.