26 Apr Are dental implants as durable as natural teeth?
One of the complaints that patients have about conventional tooth replacements, such as dental bridges and dentures, is that the appliances must be refitted or replaced periodically. Dental implants improve on this because they are far more durable. In fact, they can last almost as long as biological teeth.
While dental implants can stay in place for decades, they can only do so if the patient maintains them properly. Your oral surgeon will give you extensive instructions about how to care for your dental implants so that you know how to maximize their lifespan.
Dental Implants Vs. Natural Teeth: A Comparison
Dental implants, which are small titanium cylinders that are inserted into the jaw, are used to replace the roots of teeth that have been lost to decay or injury. Because dental implants are biocompatible, the surrounding bone tissue can fuse with them and render them a fixture in the jaw.
After osseointegration is complete, the dental implants are fitted with a restoration, giving patients a structurally complete restoration consisting of a:
- Root-like structure
- Lifelike prosthetic appliances – crowns, bridges or dentures
As such, dental implants offer the closest replication of biological teeth that is available to patients who need to restore their smiles after tooth loss. While dental implants aren’t identical to natural teeth, they come close in a variety of ways, including durability. In fact, dental implants can last for decades.
Maximizing the Durability of Your Dental Implants
While dental implants can be as durable as biological teeth, the onus is on the patient to take responsibility for caring properly for those dental implants in order to achieve this goal. Your oral surgeon will give you detailed instructions for doing so, but here are a few general recommendations.
- Practice good oral hygiene habits
- Obtain follow-up professional care as directed
- Don’t use your prosthetic teeth as tools
Our team at Central Oklahoma Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Associates will partner with you to make sure that you have all of the knowledge that you need to take care of your dental implants so that you can get the most of this treatment plan.