How Long Do Dental Implants Last? What the Evidence Says
If you are weighing a dental implant, or you already have one, you want a straight answer on how long it will last. There is a reasonably straight answer available, with qualifications worth keeping. For the basics of what a dental implant is, start with the explainer.
What lasts, and what may need replacing
With brushing, flossing and regular dental visits, implants can often last a lifetime (Cleveland Clinic).
Read that wording closely: "can often," not "will." The restoration — the crown, bridge or denture that shows — is a different story. The restoration part might need to be replaced at some point: most crowns and bridges last around 15 years, and most dentures last at least seven years, though this timeline varies (Cleveland Clinic).
The three parts of an implant
An implant has three main parts. The threaded post is the actual implant — you can think of it like an artificial tooth root — and a provider places it in your jawbone during surgery. The abutment is a tiny connector post that screws into the threaded post. The restoration is the new tooth that you and others can see; common restorations are crowns, bridges and implant-supported dentures. Most implants are titanium, but some are ceramic (Cleveland Clinic).
Which part someone means matters when the word "replacement" comes up. Recovery from the surgery itself is a separate subject, covered in recovering from dental implant surgery.
The upkeep behind those numbers
Notice what that lifetime is attached to: brushing, flossing and regular dental visits (Cleveland Clinic). Regularly cleaning the implant and surrounding teeth is very important for the implant's long-term success (U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
When to call your dentist
Upkeep is not the whole picture, and some things warrant a call: call your dentist any time you notice a loose or wobbly implant, bleeding gums, fever, pus around the implant or swollen gums (Cleveland Clinic).
Next step
Our office is at 147 Main St, 2nd Floor, Lodi, NJ 07644, and Dr. Steven Liao is our dentist. We also have a dental implants page. To bring any of this to a dentist in person, start from our first-visit page.
Sources
- Cleveland Clinic. "Dental Implants." Updated 2026-06-11. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/10903-dental-implants
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "Dental Implants: What You Should Know." https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/dental-devices/dental-implants-what-you-should-know
