How long do full mouth dental implants last?
Full mouth dental implants are a stable and aesthetically pleasing solution for missing teeth. An implant is a titanium post that a Periodontist or Oral Surgeon places into your jawbone to support a dental restoration. Implants can be used to replace one tooth or even to restore your entire mouth.
Implants are intended to be a permanent fix and with good oral care and overall good health, can easily last a lifetime though the restoration affixed to the implant may require replacement after 10 to 20 years. The actual implant acts as the root of a tooth and helps regenerate bone structure allowing for a healthy, long lasting restoration.
How can I make my dental implants last a lifetime?
Even with full mouth dental implants, it is vital that you continue to visit your dentist for professional cleanings twice a year and also to visit the doctor that placed your implants once a year. These visits will allow your dental care team to monitor the health and stability of your implants, jawbone, and gum tissue. In between visits, it is important that you maintain a good home care routine so that your smile continues to be healthy and beautiful!
Most patients will benefit from a nightguard to help protect their full mouth dental implants from nightly grinding and clenching, or bruxism. Even patients without dental restorations should consider a nightguard.
What can cause my full mouth dental implants to fail?
Pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes can put patients at a higher risk for implant failure. Patients who lost teeth due to poor oral hygiene or periodontal disease could also risk implant failure if they do not improve their oral health care after receiving implants. This is why it is so important to visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings. With full mouth dental implants, your dentist will remove the restoration allowing your hygienist to clean each individual implant.
Who is a candidate for full mouth dental implants?
Unfortunately, not all patients are a candidate for dental implants. Patients with pre-existing medical conditions that could cause their implants to fail or not even integrate may want to consider traditional dentures. If your Dentist believes that implants are right for you, they will refer you to a Periodontist or Oral Surgeon for an evaluation at which point that doctor will be able to tell you if you are indeed a viable candidate for dental implants.
Using full mouth dental implants to support a dental prostheses is a natural-looking and stable way to restore your mouth! Your dentist will be able to help you decide what restoration will be best for your individual case, thereby determining how many implants you will require. The Oral Surgeon or Periodontist will be the doctor to place your implants and your Dentist will place the dental prosthetic.
If you have a significant number of teeth missing, speak with your dentist to review your options and determine if you are a candidate for a full mouth dental implants!
More on Full Mouth Dental Implants : Can you Get full mouth Dental Implants?