How Long Do Dental Implants Last? What the Studies Show

Single implants: five and ten years

The pooled figures for a single missing tooth come from a review of 46 studies. Of every 100 implants carrying a single crown, about 97 were still in the mouth after five years and about 95 after ten¹. The ten-year values are model estimates from studies with a mean follow-up of at least five years¹.

The crown is a separate part and does not last as long. In the same review, about 96 in 100 crowns were still in use after five years and an estimated 89 after ten. An older review gave about 95 after five years and 89 after ten² for crowns on implants. A crown that has to be remade does not mean the implant has failed.

These figures are averages pooled from studies in different countries and groups of patients. They are not the result of one clinic, dentist or implant brand, and they are not your personal risk. When you read a success rate, ask what was counted (implants, crowns or patients), how success was defined and over how many years.

Full-arch bridges on implants

For a fixed bridge replacing all the teeth in a jaw, a 2026 review of 55 studies found that about 98 in 100 implants were still in place after five years or more with All-on-4³, and about 97 to 98 with All-on-6. These rates are per implant, and the results varied a lot between studies; the review did not measure what losing one implant means for a bridge on four compared with six. The same review found bone loss of about 1 millimetre per implant³ on average over five years.

The bridge itself also needs care. A 2012 review of full-arch bridges on four to six implants found about 97 in 100 upper bridges in use after five years and 95 after ten⁴; for lower bridges the figures were about 98 and 96. An umbrella review of seven reviews reported that about 90 to 97 in 100 bridges were in use⁵ over 5 to 15 years of follow-up, as far as the review summaries show. The same reviews report screw loosening at 5 to 15 per cent⁵, and chipping of the porcelain layer on veneered zirconia bridges at 15 to 35 per cent; the summaries do not make clear what these percentages were counted against. See the All-on-4 page for how the treatment works.

Staying in place is not the same as trouble-free

An implant that is still in the mouth may still have needed repairs. In the 46-study review, over five years there was screw loosening in 8.8 per cent and soft-tissue problems in 7.1 per cent¹. The crown came loose (loss of retention) in 4.1 per cent. Bone loss of more than 2 millimetres was 5.2 per cent and chipped porcelain 3.5 per cent.

A later problem is inflammation around the implant. It can affect the gum alone (peri-implant mucositis), without bone loss; a dentist checks whether the bone is affected. Peri-implantitis is inflammation of the gum around the implant together with loss of the bone that supports it. A 57-study review found it in about 20 in 100 patients and about 12 in 100 implants⁶; the rate depends on the definition used. These figures show how many people had it when they were examined, not the chance of developing it within five or ten years. If it is not controlled, the implant can be lost.

What shortens an implant's life

The figures below come from observational studies. They show an association, not proven cause and effect.

• Smoking. In people smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day, implant loss was about 2.5 times as likely per implant⁷ as in non-smokers. Per patient it was about 4 times as likely. No safe number of cigarettes has been shown.
• A history of gum disease. In people treated for periodontitis, implants were lost at about 1.75 times the rate⁸ seen in people without that history, and about twice the rate in studies with ten or more years of follow-up.
• Clenching or grinding. The odds of failure per implant were about 2.2 times as high⁹ in people judged likely to clench or grind as in others (an odds ratio). A night guard may be advised to protect the crown; these studies did not test whether it prevents implant loss.
• Diabetes. The findings on implant loss are mixed. Two of three reviews found no significant difference (2021 review¹⁰; 2016 review¹¹), and the third found higher odds of implant loss¹² in people with diabetes than in people without. All three found more bone loss around implants, so blood-sugar control, daily cleaning and regular reviews matter.
• Placing the implant straight into an extraction socket. Survival was 95.2 per cent, against 98.4 per cent¹³ for implants placed into healed bone, across the included studies; these are not five- or ten-year figures like those above. The review's authors advise caution with immediate placement; the decision depends on the patient and the site.

Can an implant last a lifetime, or 20 years?

For single implants carrying a crown, the pooled survival estimates quoted here extend to ten years. A promise that an implant will last a lifetime is not based on evidence. What can be said is that the risk depends partly on things you and your dentist can influence: smoking, gum health, clenching, daily cleaning and regular reviews.

Over a long life with an implant, expect maintenance. Screws may need tightening, and the crown or bridge on top may need repair or replacement before the implant itself does.

Helping your implant last

• Daily cleaning. Brush twice a day with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste, paying attention to the line where the implant meets the gum, and clean between the teeth every day. If you have a bridge on implants, ask your dental team to show you how to clean around each implant and under the bridge.
• A baseline record. The 2017 consensus report recommends that an X-ray and gum measurements be taken as a baseline¹⁴ when the crown or bridge is completed. Later changes are judged against that record.
• Regular reviews. The European guideline on peri-implant diseases calls for a structured supportive care programme¹⁵. The interval between reviews is set for each patient¹⁶ by their risk, so there is no 'once a year' that suits everyone; that guideline covers check-ups in general, not implants.
• Smoking, clenching and health. Tell your dentist if you smoke, clench or grind, have diabetes or gum disease, and about your medicines.

The dental implants page explains how implant treatment runs, stage by stage.

When to see a dentist

Contact your dentist if an implant or the tooth on it moves or feels loose, if a crown comes off or chips, or if you notice bleeding, swelling, pus, a bad taste or receding gum around an implant. Do not wait for your next planned review. Pain on biting or a bite that suddenly feels different is also a reason to be seen.

Emergencies. Difficulty breathing or swallowing, rapidly spreading swelling of the face or neck, high fever or swelling around the eye are serious signs. Go to the nearest emergency department or call 112.

Frequently asked questions