Learning Center

How long do dental implants last?

It is usually the first question patients ask, and it deserves a straight answer: dental implants are built to last for decades. With proper care, an implant can last at least 40 years, and for many patients it lasts the rest of their life.

The question gets confusing because “an implant” is really two things working together, and they age differently. Here is how each part holds up.

The implant itself: the part in the bone

The implant is the small post that sits in the jawbone, where a tooth root used to be. Bone grows around it and holds it firmly, the same way it held your natural root.

This is the longest-lasting part of the treatment. Modern implants are known to stay healthy for at least 40 years, and with good care you can reasonably expect yours to last a lifetime. When patients ask whether implants are “permanent,” this is the part they are asking about, and the answer is yes, that is what they are designed to be.

The teeth on top: your zirconia prosthesis

Sitting on the implants is your prosthesis, the set of teeth you see in the mirror. In full arch treatment at our practice, that prosthesis is made of zirconia, a strong, natural-looking ceramic.

You may see the zirconia prosthesis described as FDA-approved as a permanent prosthesis for 10 years. Patients sometimes hear that number and worry their new teeth expire at year ten. They do not. Ten years is the period the prosthesis is approved and rated as a permanent restoration; it is not a replacement deadline, and nothing about your teeth changes on a schedule.

Like anything you use every day, a prosthesis can wear over a long life. The honest expectation to plan around is this: a younger patient who receives implants early in life could need one replacement set of teeth at some point in their lifetime, while the implants underneath stay right where they are. One replacement set across a lifetime is a very different picture from dentures or bridges that need to be redone again and again.

What helps implants last

Long-lasting implants are a partnership. Your part is simpler than most patients expect:

Care for your new teeth the way you would natural teeth, with daily cleaning at home.
Keep your recommended maintenance and hygiene visits. These visits let the team check the implants, the prosthesis, and your bite, and catch small issues while they are still small.
Stay in touch. If something feels different, call. Small concerns are easy to address early.

Your own dentist is part of this picture, too. Our patients keep seeing their regular dentist, and we stay in contact so everyone caring for your smile is working from the same plan.

How our guarantee fits in

We put our commitment in writing. We warranty your implants for ten years after surgery, and there is a lifetime warranty on manufacturer’s defects. Keeping the warranty in force includes recommended maintenance and hygiene visits, the same visits that help your implants last in the first place.

That combination is the real answer to the question in the title: implants that are designed to last a lifetime, cared for on a simple schedule, and backed in writing.

Thinking about implants?

If you are weighing implants for yourself, the most useful next step is a consultation built around your own mouth, not averages. Your consultation is $150, including all X-rays, and the fee is credited toward your surgery when you move forward with treatment. If you already have a treatment plan from another provider, your second-opinion consultation is free with that valid treatment plan.

Dr. Bennett is a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and she will walk you through your options, your timeline, and your written estimate before you decide anything.