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The implant itself often lasts for decades, and with good care many last a lifetime. In a large review of studies, about 96% of implants were still in place after ten years. The crown on top sees daily wear and may need replacing once or twice over your lifetime.
If you are weighing an implant, how long it will last is a fair question. It is a real investment, and you want to know you will not be doing it again in a few years.
At Brilliant Smiles of Maryland in Reisterstown, MD, Dr. Alex Fishman places implants and makes the teeth that go on them.
No dentist can promise forever, but the implant post often lasts the rest of your life. How long yours lasts depends on your bone, your gums, your habits and how well the area is cared for.
It helps to think of an implant as two parts:
When people ask how long implants last, they usually mean the post. The tooth on top is the part more likely to need attention over the years.
About 96 out of 100 implants are still in place ten years after placement. That figure comes from a 2019 review in the Journal of Dentistry that pooled 18 studies of modern implants.
The same review ran a more cautious analysis that accounted for patients who stopped attending follow-up visits. That estimate was about 93%. In the cautious analysis, patients aged 65 and older had lower survival, about 91.5%.
“Survival” means the implant is still in the mouth and working. It does not mean nothing ever needed adjusting. That is why regular checkups matter after treatment.
Past ten years the evidence is thinner. A 2024 review of 20-year studies found that roughly 88% to 92% of implants were still in place after 20 years, and about four in five in a stricter analysis that counted patients lost to follow-up.
The crown is the part that wears. It may need replacing once or twice over your lifetime, depending on your bite, your habits and the material.
A worn or chipped crown can be remade without touching a healthy implant. The small screw that holds some crowns can also loosen over time, and it can usually be tightened at a routine visit.
If you already have an implant that needs a new crown, see our page on dental implant restorations. We also restore implants placed by other dentists.
The implants in a full-arch case follow the same pattern as single implants. The full arch of teeth they hold carries the chewing load of a whole jaw, so it is more likely to need repairs or eventual replacement.
How long the arch itself lasts depends on its material, your bite and whether you grind your teeth. Regular checkups let small problems, such as a chipped tooth on the arch, be fixed before they grow.
You can read more about All-on-4® implants and All-on-6 implants.
Click a photo to see the full before-and-after.
Real Brilliant Smiles of Maryland patients. Individual results vary.
Careful planning at the start and steady care afterward. Most of what decides an implant’s lifespan is in your hands once it has healed.
Planning matters too. Dr. Fishman uses a 3D CBCT scan to place each implant where the bone can support it well.
Implant problems fall into two groups. Early problems happen in the first months, before the bone has fully bonded. Later problems appear years on, usually from gum inflammation or too much biting force.
Early on, an implant may not bond with the bone. Smoking, infection, low bone or too much pressure on the implant while it heals can all play a part.
Years later, the most common cause is peri-implantitis, an inflammation of the gum and bone around the implant. It works much like gum disease around a natural tooth. Heavy grinding can also overload an implant.
Both are far less likely with good planning, daily cleaning and regular checkups.
Implants usually last the longest of the three. Bridges and dentures are still good options, but they are more likely to need replacing during your lifetime.
| Option | Typical lifespan | What usually needs replacing |
|---|---|---|
| Dental implant | The post often lasts decades | The crown, perhaps once or twice over a lifetime |
| Dental bridge | Around 10 to 15 years | The whole bridge. The teeth supporting it must stay healthy. |
| Dentures | About 7 to 10 years, with relines in between | The denture, as your gums and jaw change shape |
For a closer look, see our guides to a dental bridge vs. implant and dental implants vs. dentures.
A healthy implant should feel like part of your mouth. Call your dentist if anything around it changes:
Most of these problems are treatable, especially when they are caught early. Our guide on whether dental implants hurt also explains why a healed implant might hurt years later.
Often, yes. The implant is removed, the cause is treated and the area is allowed to heal. A new implant can then usually be placed, sometimes after a bone graft.
Your dentist will look at why the first implant failed before planning the second one. Fixing the cause, such as gum disease or grinding, is what gives the new implant a better chance.
For many patients, yes. An implant usually costs more upfront than a bridge or a denture, but it is the option least likely to need replacing.
The useful comparison is cost over 10, 15 or 20 years, not just the first bill. Our guide to what dental implants cost in Maryland explains the ranges and how patients pay.
At Brilliant Smiles of Maryland in Reisterstown, MD, Dr. Fishman plans each implant with a 3D scan, places it and restores it in the same office. Your follow-up care happens with the team that placed the implant.
Call (410) 833-8380 to talk through how long an implant could last for you.
Most last for decades. A 2019 review of 18 studies found about 96% of implants were still in place after ten years.
Research on mini implants is more limited than on standard implants. They are mainly used to hold lower dentures, and your dentist can explain what to expect for your case.
In one cautious analysis, patients aged 65 and older had slightly lower ten-year survival. Overall health, bone and daily care matter more than age alone. Our guide to dental implants for seniors covers this in more detail.
Inflammation of the gum and bone around the implant, similar to gum disease. Cleaning around the implant every day and keeping regular checkups are the best protection.
It can, but the evidence thins out past 20 years. Twenty-year studies show most implants still in place, and an implant kept free of gum inflammation has no fixed expiry date.
