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When you have missing teeth that you need to get replaced, dental implants are a great option. Looking and feeling just like natural teeth, you can soon have a smile that looks authentic and beautiful. If you are considering getting dental implants, you are probably curious as to just how long they will last. If so, here is what you need to know.
Lasting a Lifetime
When you get implants, your dentist will be inserting not just the crown into your mouth, but also the implant screw, which will act as an artificial tooth root when the crown is placed upon it. Once the screws are implanted into your jawbone, you can expect the implant screw to last the rest of your life, assuming you brush and floss regularly, get regular dental exams at least once per year, and don’t do anything out of the ordinary along the way.
Two Decades for the Crown
While the implant screws are made to last a lifetime, your crowns will be a different matter. In fact, most people who receive dental implants need to have their crowns replaced after 15-20 years, due to normal wear and tear. However, if you take exceptional care of your implants, it is not uncommon for today’s dental crowns to last well beyond 20 years.
Front and Rear Differences
Once you have dental implants, the rate at which some of your crowns may wear out and need to be replaced will depend on where they are located within your mouth. In most cases, crowns in the back of your mouth will wear out faster than those in the front, since rear crowns are used far more often for chewing as you eat.
Kick the Bad Habits
When you get dental implants and want them to last as long as possible, you may need to kick some bad habits you have had in the past regarding your teeth. For example, if you have been a pencil chewer over the years, you’ll need to stop this immediately. Also, if you have had a liking for hard candy, you may want to reduce the amount of it that you consume, since this can speed up the wear and tear on your implants.
Thanks to today’s modern dental technology, you can quickly go from a smile that makes you very self-conscious to one that you can’t wait to show off time after time. Once you get dental implants and take your dentist’s advice on proper care, you’ll have a beautiful smile for decades.
