With the highest long-term success rates and a reputation for being both cost-effective and health-promoting, dental implant therapy is the gold standard and recommended approach to tooth replacement.
Loss of Tooth to Bone
The jawbone contains natural tooth roots, which provide the teeth a solid base on which to grow and operate. The bone that once held teeth starts to degenerate, or resorb, after teeth are lost or removed; in other words, the bone “melts away.” One way to stop this type of bone loss is with dental implants.
Dental Implants’ Role in Bone Preservation
The roots of teeth can be replaced using dental implants. The implant will stimulate the bone in a manner similar to that of natural tooth roots, protecting it and halting bone resorption, which typically leads to tooth loss.
Complete Loss of Teeth Causes Collapse of the Facial Structure
The jaw bones quickly degenerate when all of the teeth are gone. Additionally, the muscles move or retract from their normal position when the bone weakens. Lips collapse and wrinkles significantly worsen when the weaker muscles and bone no longer support the face.
Clinical Results That Are Documented
Research indicates that dental implants have a 95–98% success rate over a 40–50 year period. Numerous factors, including the patient’s overall health, the amount and quality of bone that is available, the number of teeth that are replaced, and the kind of replacement teeth, affect long-term results.
A crown is applied to restore the original tooth’s natural beauty after an implant has been placed to replace the natural tooth root. Research contrasting implant success rates with those of other tooth replacement options, such bridges, unequivocally shows that replacing a single lost tooth with an implant and crown is more successful. These studies also show that placing separate crowns on neighbouring teeth instead of linking them into a bridge is considerably more successful in the long run, even if the neighbouring teeth require crowns.
- For more than 40 to 50 years, dental implants have a 95% to 98% success rate.
- Dental implant success rates do not decline with time.
- After ten years, bridge success rates gradually decline.
- Usually, 1 in 3 bridges will fail after 15 years.
- Success chances drop significantly further if the bridge is supported by teeth that have had root canal therapy.
- Compared to bridges, implants have less problems.