Here in our Glasgow dental practice at Appletree Dental Care we provide as much information as possible about dental implants and take time to help our patients understand the importance of aftercare and routine hygiene.
Once your implants and surrounding soft tissues are seen to be healthy and your new teeth are comfortable and correctly adjusted, it is the quality of your home care, and willingness to present for regular maintenance reviews, that will most influence how long they will last.
When poorly cared for, dental implants develop a covering of deposits similar to that found on neglected natural teeth. Left untreated, these can lead to gum infection, bleeding, soreness and general discomfort, just as can occur around natural teeth.
It could probably be said that dental implants, much like natural teeth, will last for as long as you care for them.
Dental Implants Care and Maintenance
Well-maintained implants, placed into adequate bone, can be expected to last for many years. However, just as with other surgical implants (such as a hip replacement) there is no lifetime guarantee.
Dental implants, once successfully placed, integrated and restored should provide many years of satisfactory appearance and function. Percentage success rates are provided to assist you in making an informed decision.
Long term results of dental implants care are dependent on good oral hygiene, regular professional cleaning and monitoring as advised. Patients should clean in between their teeth and implants once daily, in addition to normal brushing.
This interdental cleaning should be with floss or interdental brushes. Without regular checkups, hygiene visits and X-rays (to monitor bone levels), patients risk the long term health of the gums and bone around implants.
Smoking and Dental Implants
This is a key issue in dental implants care. We often discuss the effect of smoking on teeth generally but more specifically nowadays on an implant healing.
Whilst some report that there is a small increased risk of an implant failing to integrate, the major effect of smoking is on the long-term health of the gums around the implants.
We certainly see an increased incidence of gum disease around implants in smokers and this mirrors the effect of nicotine on the gums around natural teeth. This is something of which you must be aware and smokers run the risk of increased long term failures. The best advice is always to cease smoking.
Smoking cessation often involves nicotine replacement. Unfortunately nicotine in any form is detrimental to gums and bone when used for a sustained period.
Why and How Often Do Implants Fail?
Dental implants generally have success rates in excess of 95% over 5 years according most current clinical research. That still means 5% are failing within that time.
Over recent years we have seen success rates in our Glasgow clinics increase slightly to around 97%. We have placed several hundred implants over the last ten years – long enough to see a few failures.
In the case of a failing implant it is usually possible to replace it after a few months and this will normally be done (within one year of placement) at no additional cost to you.
It is extremely rare for two successive implants to fail and if failure occurs it is usually in the first or second year.
Dental surgeons in our Glasgow West End clinic prefer to wait until they are confident of implant integration before restoring it in order to secure the best prognosis for your new tooth/teeth.
Once integrated and functioning, the overall research shows that you have in excess of a 90% chance of any implant still performing well after 25 years. Implants are therefore a long term and predictable treatment option, often for a lifetime.
There is around a 20% risk of swelling +/- bruising following implant surgery and a slight risk (of 1%) that an adjacent tooth can be damaged leading to requirement of root canal treatment (this compares to a risk of 20% during crown or bridge preparation).
When working in the lower molar area there is a chance of damage to adjacent nerves. This can cause temporary numbness or pain and is very rarely permanent. A scan is advisable when bone levels are limited in this and other areas.
Unfortunately it is not possible to guarantee the success of implant treatments, although success rates are extremely high and we offer a commitment to free replacement within one year if any problems arise.
Treatment plans and dental implants costs are provided as a guide to how things should progress if healing, bone/gum availability and aesthetic demands remain relatively constant.
They may be, however subject to subtle changes and we endeavour, where possible, to keep you informed of any minor changes as the treatment plan is carried out.
For example, there is a small risk of graft rejection which may necessitate the use of pink porcelain (additional technician’s fee of £50 if required). Pink porcelain can disguise spaces and allow for normal tooth proportion in cases where gum tissue has been lost.