Are Dental Implants Safe in The Long Run?

A dental implant is a screw-like metal post made of titanium, which is surgically inserted into the jawbone to replace the missing tooth. After a healing period of a few months, during which the titanium fuses with the jawbone, the crown is finally screw returned/ cemented over the implant.

 

Dental implants have been done for over forty years and they are completely safe. Actually, the high success rate of dental implants is due to their safety. Our body recognizes anything that is considered a threat to it and starts an inflammatory process that allows it to defend itself and get rid of the threat. This inflammatory process is what allows the body for example to expel a broken root of a tooth or any other threat.

Once dental implants have healed from the initial surgery, there is no inflammatory process around them which indicates a successful placement. After the initial surgery stage, the success rate of implants depends on many factors but when done well, you can expect an implant to last as long as a natural tooth.

 

Premature loss of implants is due to systemic disease or a localized problem such as malocclusion. So, basically, when properly done and maintained, dental implants are completely safe and have a great track record of helping patients improve their lives.

 

Dental implants are long-term solutions. They are made to last a long time. So just like teeth, many factors affect the longevity of an implant. It is expected that implants will last over 15-20 years. Regular dental visits and evaluation of the bone around the implants will help prevent bigger problems. So prevention is the key to long-term success.

 

The failure rate of dental implants is extremely low. There are two stages for the failure of the implants. The surgical phase and the prosthetic phase. During the surgical phase, the success rate is around 99% and some providers even have 100% success rate. In the later stage after the implant has been restored, the failure rate depends on the care of the patient and if the bite forces were properly assessed. Success at 15 years is much higher than dental bridges or any other prosthetic procedure.

 

Dental implants can be done in one day and usually a temporary is placed until the final crown is placed on the implant. In some cases, the patient does not have enough bone and in those cases, we have to wait 3-4 months for us to be able to place an implant. But in most cases, the implants are placed in the same day as the tooth extraction.


The recovery time for dental implants depends on the case, for single implants, the recovery time is 1-2 days. For more complicated implant cases with grafting, we expect 5-7 days.

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