If you’re considering dental implants to replace a missing tooth, you probably already know they have a high success rate. According to various large-scale studies, the long term dental implant success rate falls between 93% and 98%,making them an effective treatment for tooth loss.
You may also have read that dental implants can last a lifetime. However, that doesn’t throw much light on the longevity of dental implants since your life could be considerably longer or shorter than that of another implant patient. What we can say with certainty is that the dental implants placed into the first-ever implant patient were still fully operational when he passed, some forty years later.
However, this doesn’t mean we can take implant success for granted. There are five things you should be aware of that affect dental implant success or failure. So let’s jump in and take a look.
Implant Success Rate – 5 Factors To Be Mindful Of
#1 – You need to act fast
Whether you’re looking to replace a missing tooth lost to decay, trauma or injury, or you need to replace a tooth that’s failing, it’s vital to act fast.
You see, along with a missing tooth comes bone loss. The body resorbs the bone that once supported the lost tooth because it thinks it’s no longer necessary. As a result, that area of the jawbone starts to thin and over time, the jaw changes shape, causing facial structures to droop or sag, making a person look older than their years.
It’s critical for implant success that the titanium implant posts are placed into dense, healthy bone to provide the support they need to function, just like natural teeth. While this doesn’t rule out a person who has suffered bone loss, it does mean they may need to undergo a bone graft to augment the jawbone. Unfortunately, this requires a surgical procedure, which means additional costs and months of healing and recovery before getting dental implants.
#2 – Good Oral Health
Periodontal (gum) disease can have a devasting effect on dental implant success. A recent study compared retention rates between dental implants and natural teeth in patients with chronic periodontal disease over ten or more years. The results revealed that dental implants were lost at a rate of ten times more than natural teeth due to periodontal disease.
Like natural teeth, dental implants are vulnerable to the effects of bacteria. So patients with a history of periodontal disease face a higher risk of implant failure than those with healthy gums. It doesn’t mean automatic exclusion from dental implants. Instead, our dentist will need to treat the disease and restore your mouth to good health before proceeding with the dental implant procedure.
While dental implants should only be placed in a mouth free from gum disease and tooth decay, patients must maintain a high standard of oral hygiene throughout the dental implant procedure and ultimately forever.
So, as you can see, good oral health is critical to implant success.
#3 – Dental Implant Success Relies On Osseointegration
Dental implant treatment is a procedure that relies on a natural process, osseointegration, for success. Dental implants are mostly made from biocompatible titanium. As a result, the surrounding bone cells fuse with the titanium post, making it a permanent fixture in the mouth over several weeks or months. From that point, the implant post acts as an artificial tooth root, stimulating the gums to keep them healthy and preventing further bone loss.
Osseointegration varies from one person to another, and it can take three to six months before the implant has fully stabilised. Certain medical conditions and lifestyle habits, such as smoking, can also affect osseointegration.
While smoking has long been associated with poor healing and osseointegration, a recent study of osseointegrated dental implants suggests that increased implant failures in those who smoke are caused by exposure of the peri-implant tissues to tobacco smoke. It also indicates that detrimental effects may be reduced by (a) cessation of smoking, (b) pre-operative antibiotics and (c) HA-coated implants.
Certain systemic medical conditions such as Diabetes Mellitus, Thyroid Disorders, and Osteoporosis can also affect bone metabolism, wound healing and the success of bone grafting and dental implant procedures.
#4 – Expertise and Experience
Skill and experience play a significant role in implant success, so research well before choosing your dentist.
Ask family or friends who have dental implants if they can recommend their dentist, and don’t forget to check out any testimonials on the clinic’s website. Don’t be afraid to ask your dentist about their experience in implantology, including how many implants they have placed and how frequently they carry out the treatment.
After all, if it’s your dentist’s first time placing implants, you probably don’t want to be their guinea pig!
#5 – Patience and Commitment
Finally, remember that the dental implant procedure can take many months from start to finish, so if you want fast results, then an alternative treatment may be a better option. A good dentist will never rush dental implants.
While a dentist can lay the foundation for implant success, ultimately, it’s down to you. Fortunately, implants are cared for the same as natural teeth with good oral care at home and regular dental visits.
Are you ready for dental implants?
Don’t put up with missing teeth. Dental implants can transform your quality of life and restore proper bite functionality. Our experienced dentists have placed hundreds of implants and have a high dental implant success rate. We understand hygiene and infection are a concern for our patients, so we utilise hand sanitisers throughout our clinics.
All our team use hand sanitiser after every patient and recommend that you use hand sanitiser before touching your face once you return home after your implant procedure. Why not schedule an implant consultation today or call us on 02 8007 6727.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
BMC Oral Health – The survival rates and risk factors of implants in the early stage: a retrospective study
https://bmcoralhealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12903-021-01651-8
American Association of Endodontists – Dental Implants Fail at a Rate 10 Times That of Natural Teeth in Patients with Treated Chronic Periodontitis: Study
https://www.aae.org/specialty/communique/dental-implants-fail-at-a-rate-10-times-that-of-natural-teeth-in-patients-with-treated-chronic-periodontitis-new-study/#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20comparing%20the,lost%20due%20to%20periodontal%20disease.
Pub Med – The influence of smoking on 3-year clinical success of osseointegrated dental implants
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11885185/
Glidewell – Medical Evaluation: Part 2 — Systemic Disease and Oral Implants
https://glidewelldental.com/education/chairside-dental-magazine/volume-16-issue-2/medical-evaluation-part-2-systemic-disease-and-oral-implants