Clinics like to say "implants last a lifetime". That is true of the titanium post — and misleading about everything attached to it.
Two different parts, two different lifespans
An implant is really two things: the fixture that fuses to your bone, and the crown that sits on top. Studies following implants over ten years put fixture survival above 95%. The crown is a different story — it takes the chewing, the grinding and the coffee, and typically needs replacing after 10 to 15 years.
What actually causes failures
Almost all early failures come down to the implant not integrating with the bone in the first months. Late failures are nearly always peri-implantitis — gum inflammation around the implant, caused by plaque. It is the same disease that loosens natural teeth, and it responds to the same thing: cleaning.
What you control
- Smoking. The single strongest risk factor. Smokers fail implants at roughly twice the rate.
- Daily cleaning. Interdental brushes around the implant, every day. Floss alone does not reach.
- Annual check-ups. Peri-implantitis is painless until it is advanced. A yearly probe catches it while it is still reversible.
- Grinding. If you clench at night, wear the guard. Overload cracks crowns and, occasionally, fixtures.
The realistic expectation
Look after it and the implant will very likely outlive the crown on top of it, and quite possibly you. Neglect it and it will fail like any other tooth — just more expensively.
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