Do Implants Last Forever?

Q: I had implants by one of the inventors of implants in Manhattan 20 years ago. I now have lost all the bone around them and require that they be removed. I thought since they are not real teeth and are made of titanium, they would last forever.

A: I rarely use my column, est. 2004, to give a shout-out or endorse a local business, but I must make an exception today. Please visit Lynora’s restaurant on Donald Ross Rd. at Alton on the border of Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter. Why? Two words: “honest folk”.

Last Thursday night while eating some delicious pizza, my money clip with $400 in cash slipped out my scrubs pocket. The next day I called the restaurant and a staff member gave the item to the manager who locked it in the safe. I just had to describe the money clip which was a promotional item from a New Jersey car dealership and hence easy to describe.

My hats off to the great food and honest staff!

Back to our question:

Although the material, titanium, can out live a post nuclear war apocalypse, when placed in human bone, periodontal disease (peri-implantitis) can still destroy the bone, causing the implant to fail, just like natural teeth.

Home care and seeing the hygienist for maintenance is paramount to implant success and longevity.

Medical conditions, medications and how patients teeth mesh together (bad bites) can also contribute to failing implants.