How Often Do Dental Implants Need to be Replaced?

If you are dealing with missing teeth and are looking at your options, one popular and effective procedure to restore your smile is dental implant surgery in South Philly.

Because of its structure, a dental implant will look, feel, and function just like a natural tooth. Moreover, with the right care, you can enjoy your new smile for decades, even as long as 20 years or more!

Here’s everything you need to know about how often you need to replace dental implants.

What Can Damage a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is made from 3 different elements:

• The metal post that gets inserted into the jaw
• The abutment, which connects the root to the crown
• The dental crown, or the visible part of the implant

When talking about replacing dental implants, usually we refer to changing the dental crown. If the procedure goes well and your tissue heals around the implant, there’s really no need to ever change the metal post or abutment.

The dental crown is usually made of porcelain or composite material. Although it’s strong, it can be damaged by:

• Wear and tear
• Accidents (such as getting hit in the mouth)
• Tooth grinding
• Lifestyle choices, etc.

To make sure you enjoy your new smile for decades, it’s important to take the right steps and maintain your overall oral health.

How to Protect Your Dental Implant Crown

Maintaining dental implants isn’t that different from taking care of your natural teeth:

• Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day
• Floss daily
• Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
• Avoid biting down on very hard foods or objects
• Stop smoking

While at-home care is essential, you should also see the dentist routinely for professional cleanings and a check-up. Even with great products and oral hygiene techniques, it can still be difficult for you to properly clean your mouth. By going to the dentist regularly, they can also check out the dental implant and spot any issues with it before they get worse!

What If My Implant Gets Damaged?

If the dental crown chips, cracks, or is otherwise damaged, then your dentist will take a mold of your mouth and send it to the lab to get a new one made for you.

While it can take 1-2 weeks until the crown is ready, once it's changed you have another 15-20 years to enjoy your smile!

Wondering If Dental Implants Are for You? We Can Help

Dental implants may be a popular solution to replace missing teeth, but are they right for you? Mestichelli Barnes Dental Associates can help you find out!

To get started, please book a consultation with Dr. Bill Mestichelli or Dr. Michael Barnes online, and stop by our practice to discover how you get back your winning smile.

Need more information? Then feel free to call us directly at (215) 334-2000 for a short chat.