How long is the average lifespan of a dental implant?
The invention of dental implants was a major breakthrough in the field of dentistry, and they have now become the preferred method for treating missing teeth. Compared with traditional removable dentures and fixed dentures, dental implants offer many advantages, including comfort, good stability, no need to take them out and put them in, easy cleaning, high aesthetics, and no grinding down of adjacent teeth. But what people care about more is this: just how long can a single dental implant actually serve?
First, let me introduce this: the world's first dental implant lasted 42 years!
In 1965, the birthplace of the world's first dental implant was Sweden. Professor Per-Ingvar Brånemark of Sweden invented dental implant technology, and he was later honored as the "father of modern oral implantology."
In 1965, Professor Brånemark performed the world's first dental implant surgery on a Swede named Gösta Larsson. This implant served him for a full 42 years, and it was still intact when he passed away in 2007.
Compared with the technology of 50 years ago, when dental implants had just been pioneered, today's implant systems are more scientific and complete, and the techniques and materials are more advanced, with higher safety, success rates, and survival rates!
The world's longest-lasting dental implant is already 49 years old. The holder of this world record is a Swede named Sven Johansson. In 1967, at the age of 42, he underwent dental implant surgery. Today, he is 91 years old, and the full-arch fixed denture supported by his implant roots has remained in good condition. This represents the longest service record for a dental implant, and it is still being updated every day.
How can you make a dental implant serve you longer?
The specific lifespan of a dental implant is related to the following factors:
1. The dentist's skill level
Only an experienced implant specialist dentist can accurately complete every step of implant treatment, including whether the implant is placed in the optimal position, whether the soft tissue around the implant has been treated in the most optimized way, and whether the upper restoration of the implant is reasonable. Therefore, a good implant dentist is the key to and guarantee of successful and long-term use of dental implants.
2. Postoperative care
Special care after implant surgery is especially important for the initial stability and survival of the implant. Patients should strictly follow the doctor's instructions, such as: ① Eat a liquid diet within 24 hours after surgery, and do not brush your teeth so as not to irritate the wound. ② Within 3 to 6 months after stitch removal, take care to protect the artificial tooth root and do not use it to chew forcefully. After the implant and alveolar bone have formed a firm osseointegration, it can then perform normal chewing function.
3. Daily oral cleaning and maintenance
People with dental implants should pay great attention to maintaining oral hygiene and have regular oral examinations to create a good environment for the implant's use. At the same time, they should break bad habits such as smoking and picking teeth with toothpicks, because poor oral hygiene and smoking can easily cause inflammation of the soft tissue around the implant. This chronic stimulation will gradually cause bone destruction, and eventually the implant may become loose or fall out.
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