Other

Do I need to change implants after breast surgery? Replacement of breast implants: reasons, timing, methodology, guarantees, price

Are implants safe and after how many years should they be replaced?
Will there be scars and scars?
Is breastfeeding possible with silicone breasts?

Because of these and many other questions, a woman is afraid to fulfill her dream of having beautiful and firm breasts. This article will dispel all doubts and tell the whole truth about implants.

Evolution of implants

Still at the end 19th century attempts at breast augmentation began. Liquid paraffin, glass beads, oils and other foreign bodies were injected into the chest. But all these operations were not successful: foreign objects did not take root, went beyond the mammary glands, and were rejected from the body.

IN 1960 In the 1980s, the first silicone implant was created, which was a capsule with thick walls, although it looked unnatural and leaked easily.

1968 year gave the world an implant with a physical solution, thanks to which the body did not reject the capsules. But the main drawback of the invention was the thin walls, which often led to rupture; in addition, the chest with saline solution clearly gurgled when walking.

IN 1970 year, the second generation of silicone implants appears. But the walls of the capsules become even thinner. 95% of women receive no know-how, but only disappointment after endoprosthetics: almost all implants crack within the first 12 years.

1980 year gives the world the third generation of silicone implants. The walls of the capsules become much stronger, and the filler becomes thicker. And most importantly, statistics related to complications after the first two models are rapidly falling.

IN 1990 In 2009, a safer model was developed, but it has not yet received recognition: implants with viscous jelly-like silicone, which does not leak when the capsule ruptures.

1992 year - silicone implants are banned in the USA, and implants with saline solution are again used for breast enlargement.

IN 2006 year, after many years of controversy and debate, the United States re-authorizes the use of silicone implants.

To date Breast augmentation is one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the world, along with rhinoplasty and facelift. According to statistics, in the United States over the past 5 years, the number of women who have decided to undergo endoprosthetics has increased by approximately 40% - this is about 350,000 women. Every day, surgeons performed up to 1000 operations per day! In Russia, the numbers are much lower, and in 2012 the number of patients was 22,000. This may be due to the small number of professional surgeons in our country.

The size of the implants does not correspond to standard breast sizes (A, B, C...). It is measured in milliliters and varies in volume. The smallest implants are a 90 ml capsule, the largest are 740 ml. The most popular are 200 ml implants, which increase breast size by 1.5 sizes, as well as 300 and 400 ml.
Today there are 2 forms of implants: round and teardrop-shaped (anatomical). The former make the breasts look sexy, the latter look more natural.
The surfaces of the implant are also distinguished – smooth or rough (textured).
A distinctive feature of modern implants is that they are practically eternal.

Preparing for surgery and choosing implants

The choice of the implant, its shape, size and surface is carried out by the surgeon together with the patient at a preliminary in-person consultation. The following issues are also discussed:

Features of the operation;
-possible complications and rehabilitation period;
-place of the incision (through the inframammary fold, through the nipple areola, through the armpit).
For convenience, a “try-on” of external implants is carried out, which allows the patient to evaluate the final result.

In addition to the face-to-face consultation, the patient must undergo a number of standard studies:
-ECG;
-consultation with a mammologist and anesthesiologist;
-Ultrasound;
-biochemical blood test;
-tests for HIV, AIDS and hepatitis B and C.

Temporary contraindications

Due to colds, fever, menstruation, the operation is postponed for some time. Also, no later than a month before surgery, the patient should not smoke.

Surgery and rehabilitation period

The patient is placed under general anesthesia and operated on for 40 minutes to 2 hours. The surgeon inserts the implant under the pectoralis major muscle, so women do not have problems during lactation. Most often, endoprosthesis replacement is performed through the armpit - this technique is minimally invasive and allows you to avoid scars.

After the operation, the patient remains in bed for 24 hours. Every few days the wound is bandaged, and on the 10th day the stitches are removed. The swelling goes away within 2-3 weeks. For two months, a woman must constantly wear a holding bra with wide straps to avoid the appearance of stretch marks; sexual life is also limited, sports, heavy lifting, hot baths and smoking are excluded.

Possible complications with breast augmentation

Leading surgeon at Frau Klinik Egorova M.V. comments on problematic issues:

Implant rupture: “Modern implants are practically eternal, but there are situations in which rupture is possible: car accidents, falls, injections and other types of injuries. Although the thick composition of the silicone implant will not leak, a repeat operation will be necessary.”

Hematomas: “After surgery, blood usually accumulates under the skin for 24 hours. The body can only cope with small hematomas on its own, but larger ones do not resolve and require opening to remove the accumulated fluid.”

Decreased nipple sensitivity: “About 5-7% of women after endoprosthetics lose nipple sensitivity, the situation may not change even within 5 years.”

Rare complications: “Breast augmentation is still an operation, not an aesthetic procedure, so in rare cases complications (infectious diseases, suppuration) are possible. If complications arise, the implant is removed, and after six months the endoprosthetics is repeated.”

The final result mainly depends on the professionalism of the plastic surgeon, but also on the natural size of the breast and other physiological characteristics.

Leading breast implant manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on their products. Similar promises are made in plastic surgery clinics. But what is the situation like in reality? The average lifespan of breast implants is 10-15 years. This does not mean that during this time it can become thin and its contents leak out. In reality, this means only one thing - over time, inevitable changes in the figure and breast tissue occur. In particular, their omission may occur. Muscle and fat tissues also change. This is what leads to the need to replace the breast implant with a more suitable one. But this does not mean that the implant itself is worn out. In fact, the materials from which it is made are much less susceptible to change than the tissues of the human body. And if our body did not change, implants could last almost forever. Preconceptions about the durability of breast implants have a long history. The first silicone implants, which appeared in the 1960s, were indeed not very durable and did not guarantee against leakage. The situation was even worse with implants filled with saline solution. The leakage of saline solution was less of a problem than the leakage of silicone, but it happened more often. As for modern implants, they use a cohesive gel as a filler. It is characterized by extremely low fluidity and does not leak even if the implant is physically damaged. On the other hand, the shell of modern breast implants is such that it can withstand even extreme overloads, such as in a car accident. The only way to damage it is to pierce it.

However, from time to time scandals break out, such as with PIP breast implants, whose manufacturers, in order to save money, filled them not with medical, but with industrial silicone.

In addition, it turned out that they were leaking. However, such stories relate more to criminal law than to plastic surgery.

Compared to the last decade, the choice of modern and high-quality implants on the world market of manufacturers has now become much more diverse and richer. There is certainly a tendency that many plastic surgeons work with the products of one manufacturer, and there is nothing wrong with that. The choice is usually made on the basis of the reliability and quality of the product, as well as the availability of a wide selection of the company.

Manufacturers of modern breast implants for breast plastic surgery guarantee that their products do not cause neoplasms and do not in any way affect the ability of an infant to breastfeed. One could talk about the lifelong possibility of having an implant inside your body, but it is almost impossible to guarantee that your breasts will retain their shape in an unchanged state. For example, a woman may give birth, causing her breasts to become deformed.

No one can guarantee that in 5-15 years a woman’s figure will not undergo any changes. She may gain weight or lose weight, which will disrupt the proportionality of the once correctly selected implant. Therefore, the need for implant replacement and breast lift is common, so be prepared for it.

What else can cause the replacement of an old implant with a new one?

The patient's desire to change the shape or size of the breast again
Liquid leakage or casing rupture
The desire to change the old implant to a more modern and “fashionable” one
Inflammation in the area where the implant is located

The need to replace a breast implant with a modern type should also be taken into account.

However, plastic surgery is not aware of sufficiently compelling arguments indicating the absolute need to replace an implant within a certain period of time, if it is no longer modern. It only needs to be replaced if there is a defect in the shell or if it is damaged. Also, if there is inflammation in the area where the implant is placed, which cannot be treated with a conservative method.

The average lifespan of an implant can vary from 5 to 15 years depending on the type of implant. But in fact, implants are much more durable and less susceptible to age-related changes in the body than your own tissue.

An implant can only deteriorate if folds form on its shell. It is in the places where these folds form that the shell can wear out and fray. For this reason, implants made from highly cohesive helium are more durable as they do not wrinkle.

It is important to understand that with age, the weight of breast implants can cause breast tissue to stretch, requiring additional correction. Although many manufacturers give a so-called “lifetime guarantee,” this actually means the possibility of free replacement of the implant with a new one. True, the guarantee of the service life of implants does not apply to all cases.

Science is moving forward. There is no doubt that cosmetic surgery will make progress and new advanced types of breast implants will be created. And maybe soon breast implants will truly last forever.

Although breast implants are not considered lifelong devices, this does not mean that they cannot last for many years. There are women whose implants lasted 10, 20, 30 years and even more.

Implants can be filled with saline solution or silicone gel.

The shell of the saline and silicone implant is made of durable silicone. It has high durability and does not pose a threat to health.

Despite the fact that the shell of both types of implants is made of silicone and the fillers are different, saline implants are just as durable as silicone ones.

They differ in elasticity. Saline implants are more affordable and softer. Silicone implants are more elastic and hold their shape better.

Reasons for possible implant replacement or removal

Think of the implant shell as the skin on your face. You can determine a person's lifestyle by the wrinkles on his face. These wrinkles appear as a result of repeating the same actions over and over again.

For example, from laughing or squinting. The same can happen with implants.

When the shells interact with each other for a long time, regardless of the filler of the implant, “folds” are formed on it. The integrity of the shell may be damaged, which may ultimately lead to rupture.

Another reason why breast implants may be replaced is due to breast hardening. This is called capsular contracture.

This is when the collagen fibers inside the capsule that surrounds the breast implant harden, causing the breast to harden. When the level of capsular contracture has reached the point of requiring surgery, the implant may be replaced with a new implant or sterilized and reimplanted into the breast.

How to extend the life of breast implants

The longer you have breast implants, the more likely it is that complications will occur over time. By distinguishing implants by type and content, you can more easily determine what to do to prevent possible complications.

Saline implants

Saline implants will last longer if they are filled with the solution as much as possible. Unfilled saline implants will form “wrinkles” and eventually rupture. Unfilled saline implants are more at risk than silicone implants.

The failure rate for saline implants in a recent study was 5.6%.

Of the 48 saline implants studied, 26 implants were not filled. However, overfilling the implant with solution can also lead to ruptures.

Silicone implants

Silicone implants have a huge advantage over saline ones in that the silicone gel is more solid and not liquid like a saline solution.

This means that if a silicone implant ruptures, the gel will remain intact and will most likely retain the shape of the implant. By being more stable in shape and having the ability to stay in shape even after rupture, silicone implants will have a longer lifespan.

What is the real shelf life of breast implants?

The implant can last 3 months or 50 years.

No one can guarantee his life expectancy. If you have a breast implant that ruptured or you have complications, check the warranty on it. The cost may be minimal to you since the manufacturer will likely cover the cost of replacement.

Consultations / Aesthetic and plastic surgery / Breast implant lifespan

anonymous (Female, 32 years old)

32 years old. A slightly short palpebral slit in relation to the face, eyes a little more round than we would like, small wrinkles under the eyes and slightly weakened skin (but the outer corners are not...

anonymous (Female, 18 years old)

Good afternoon.

I'm a girl, I'm 18 years old. My situation is this: I have a size 2 breast, but my left breast is slightly smaller than my right, and this bothers me. I understand that I...

anonymous (Female, 21 years old)

Hello, I have constant back pain from heavy breasts, I am small and my breasts are a third and a half size, I want to reduce them to a size one and a half, can I reduce my breasts when...

anonymous (Female, 45 years old)

I am 45 years old, in my youth I developed an additional mammary gland in the left axillary area, in general, I understand that you can live with it, but it is very unaesthetic and...

anonymous (Female, 36 years old)

Puffiness of the face is a family trait (you can literally pat your cheeks;), I’m over 35 and would like to have non-surgical plastic surgery to tighten the contours. Can you recommend a type of filler or something else?

anonymous (Female, 27 years old)

Hello! I have allergan implants, the operation was 7 years ago. 5 months ago my left breast increased by almost 2 sizes, I had a slight fever, discomfort and slight pain, I went to my surgeon...

anonymous (Female, 26 years old)

Good afternoon, I want to have liposuction on my abdomen, otherwise everything is fine with my figure. Tell me, please, does it make sense to do it if I’m planning a pregnancy, or will it not wash away, is it better after childbirth? Thank you.

Mammoplasty, a widespread breast enlargement operation nowadays, has become a “salvation” for many women who consider small breast size to be relatively unattractive or not in keeping with the proportions of their body.

To get an overview of this operation, a consultation with an experienced surgeon can take up to three hours. The question of whether it is necessary to change implants after mammoplasty interests every woman who comes for a consultation with a surgeon.

If we compare the implants of today and those that were produced 15 years ago, the difference in quality is significantly different. The assortment of the latter was predominantly in a round shape, with a smooth shell. The composition of the implants was also different, and their wear life was much shorter than modern ones.

Mammoplasty is the most popular operation among women, therefore, leading clinics around the world paid the greatest attention to it. So, already at the present time, thanks to research, implants can have a lifelong service life. But, unfortunately, not everything is so simple, and there are still some nuances to replacing implants.

The main reasons for replacing implants after mammoplasty:

Fibrous capsular contracture.
Sagging skin in the chest area, which is affected by age-related factors.
Aesthetic wishes for changing the size and shape of the breast.
Rupture and leakage of implants.
Installation of low-quality breast implants from unscrupulous specialists.
Any inflammatory processes in the area of the mammary glands.

Any secondary intervention necessarily involves a certain degree of risk to the body. Clinical examination, mammography, breast ultrasound, ECG and many other tests will give a clear picture for repeated implant replacement.

Natural changes in the mammary glands after mammography are caused by stretching of the ligaments and tissues. This can occur after sudden weight loss or, conversely, excess weight, after breastfeeding and many age-related factors. It should be noted that all these frequent problems that force women to undergo surgery again can be caused by the location and weight of the implant, that is, if it was large and installed under the gland, and not “under the muscle,” then the likelihood of sagging mammary glands there will be more.

Fibrous capsular contracture

Despite the vast and practical experience in performing mammoplasty, medicine is powerless to protect the protective function of the human body. Fibrous capsular contracture is the formation of dense fibrous tissue around the implant, which over time can cause discomfort and significant pain. As mentioned above, this is a protective mechanism of our body. There are some statistical arguments and studies by surgeons regarding the formation of fibrous tissue, or rather, if, then its prevention.

It is possible to avoid fibrous capsular contracture under the following conditions:

Installation of the implant not under the gland, but partially or completely under the muscle.
Textured surface of the implant (not smooth, but a “rough” circle).

In fact, there is no consensus. Some surgeons prove the opposite. Most likely, an individual approach by an experienced specialist to the constitution of a woman’s body minimizes the appearance of fibrous capsular contracture.

Most often, re-endoprosthetics becomes the patient’s personal wish. But you should consider factors that are best avoided:

Spinal problems. The implants themselves are heavy, for example, increasing breast size to size 4 can cause complications on the spine.
Breast enlargement by three to four sizes in one mammogram. In the future, deformation of the mammary glands may occur, as well as overstretching of ligaments and tissues.
Implant adjustment caused by a sudden change in weight, often caused by a woman's pregnancy.

How to replace breast implants step by step

Depending on what problem the woman came with, the operation to replace implants can last one to two hours.

The anesthesiologist, after making sure that the patient is in good health, can perform general or local anesthesia, which depends on the technical nuances of the operation.

The duration of the operation may be longer if the woman only wants to remove the implants. In this case, additional adjustments are made to the shape, symmetry, and tightening of ligaments and soft tissues.

How is breast implant replacement performed? Complete re-endoprosthetics can be divided into three stages.

First of all, the surgeon removes the old implants. Makes incisions following the scar left from the first operation. This may be a line under the mammary glands (submammary) or the armpit. One of the most popular is an operation performed along the nipple areola line. This case leaves behind visually invisible scars. This replacement option solves the problem of ptosis (possible ptosis of the mammary glands in the future). Women who want to enlarge their breasts by more than two sizes can also hope for good results. In this case, it is important to choose an experienced specialist who practices this technique. After the incision is made, the implants are removed.
Then, complete or partial removal of the fibrous contracture capsule is performed (capsulotomy). Most often, these tissues adapt to a new foreign object (in this case, an implant). But in its severe form, it is necessary to completely remove the resulting contracture.
At the third stage of the operation, the plastic surgeon installs new endoprostheses. If the patient only needs to replace the implants with new ones, then he installs them in the old place. In another case, for example, with an increase in breast volume, it is necessary to create a new space for additional volume of the mammary glands. At this stage, if necessary, they are tightened.

After removing old implants, the area after them should become denser. For this process, women are recommended to wear special compression garments for a certain period; this usually takes no more than a month. The use of underwear does not allow filling the implant site with physiological fluid. The same recommendations are given when replacing endoprostheses.
It is prohibited to visit baths, saunas, take hot baths and visit the solarium.
Limit or exclude any physical exercise in the first month.
Intimate life is not allowed without the approval of the attending physician.

By following all the recommendations and listening to the advice of an experienced specialist, your physiological changes will not be noticeable in the future. Soon you will get used to the changes and will be content with the new external changes.

How long does a dental implant usually last and can it really last safely until the end of life, as is sometimes stated in advertising of dental clinics;
What is the difference between the guaranteed service life of dental implants declared by the manufacturer and the guarantee for implants given by the clinic;
What is the average real service life of dental implants in different price categories;
How to know when it’s time to change the implant, and what factors may contribute to problems;
Do prostheses installed on implants last just as long, and why sometimes they have to be changed a couple of years after installation;
And also some simple practical tips that will extend the life of dental implants...

Dental implantation is a rather expensive procedure, and therefore the desire of patients to receive a lifetime or at least a multi-year warranty on installed implants is fully justified. At the same time, the advertising slogans of many dental clinics seem to paint quite rosy prospects and give no reason to worry: “the service life of our implants is 30 years,” “our dental implants will last you until the end of your life!” And others in the same spirit.

But can implantologists really guarantee such a long service life of dental implants, and could it turn out that the installed expensive structure will have to be changed after just a couple of years?

In order to better understand how long a dental implant actually lasts, let’s first look at how the guarantee for dental implants that clinics give differs from the service life established by the manufacturer. And then we’ll also talk about whether it’s realistic to achieve lifelong results from artificial teeth.

What is the difference between a warranty on implants and their service life?

So, there are two important concepts that are closely related to the service life of dental implants:

Product warranty (service life) established by the implant manufacturer;
As well as a warranty period for completed treatment work, established by the clinic.

Warranty and service life from the manufacturer

Many companies, especially the most serious ones that have been on the market for decades, provide a lifetime guarantee on the dental implants they produce. These include mainly manufacturers of expensive premium products: Nobel, Alpha BIO, AstraTech, XIVE Friadent, Straumann and some others.

Companies that produce less branded products (mid-price segment) provide a 20-25 year guarantee on their products. Actually, this is the guaranteed service life of dental implants of the average price category, however, provided that they are installed and then operated, as they say, in compliance with all rules and regulations.

Note:

Teeth on implants can be compared to an expensive car. For example, in a German Mercedes you can drive more than 500 thousand kilometers without any problems. But provided that the owner carries out regular maintenance of the car, changes the oil, spark plugs and other spare parts. The same goes for new teeth – in theory, implants will last for several decades. But in practice, much depends on how professionally the doctor worked, as well as how the patient himself will use the new teeth. An important role in this is played by daily care, regular removal of dental plaque (yes, plaque also accumulates on artificial teeth), as well as preventive examinations by the dentist.

If all conditions are met, even mid-price implants can stay securely in the jaw and serve well longer than the stated 25 years, and it is possible that they will never need to be replaced.

Guarantee for implants from a dental clinic

The second type of guarantee is provided directly by the dental clinic (or even by the doctor, if he works individually). And usually the duration of such a guarantee is only 1-2 years. Generally speaking, the legislation of the Russian Federation does not regulate warranty periods for dental services, so each clinic establishes them independently.

A completely reasonable question arises: why do manufacturers give almost an eternal guarantee on implants, while doctors give no more than a couple of years?

Well, this is explained quite simply: a doctor (or clinic) can only give a guarantee for the work performed. In practice, it is during the first 1-2 years that the risk is relatively high for reasons beyond the control of the patient, namely the fault of the implantologist.

But if the implant has to be removed and replaced after 3-5-10 years, then the problem, as a rule, lies in the lack of proper care for artificial teeth or a deterioration in the patient’s general health. It is quite obvious that there is no fault of the doctor here, and therefore there is no reason for him to extend the guarantee for such a long period. That is, guaranteeing the eternal service of implants to a person who does not brush his teeth or chews nuts every day is more expensive for himself.

In general, we can say that when it comes to a guarantee for implantation, the patient of a dental clinic is not always in an advantageous position. According to statistics, most problems with implants are still due to the fault of the doctor - due to inexperience, inattention, an incorrectly selected design or a completely incorrect surgical operation to install the implant. However, in practice, it is not always possible to prove that the cause of the problems that have arisen lies precisely in the specialist’s mistake and that during the warranty period he is obliged (and this should be specified in the contract) to replace the implant.

As a result, many patients who are faced with problems seek support from specialists in other clinics. For example, the implant has become painful, mobile, or has completely fallen out of the bone - clinics often do not regard such situations as warranty cases, placing the blame on the patient. However, some doctors honestly admit their mistakes and successfully eliminate them - by changing an implant that has not taken root or offering the patient a different type of prosthetics without paying for the treatment again.

“I installed an expensive German implant on the six. The operation went well, with almost no discomfort. I immediately asked how long this dental implant lasts and how long it lasts. The doctor said that it will definitely last for 15-20 years. But in fact it turned out to be completely different... A month later, severe pain, swelling and redness appeared. I came to the clinic and they said it took a long time! They say that rejection has begun and the reason cannot be determined, most likely, improper hygiene. The implant was removed and they flatly refused to do anything again. Then I went to another clinic - they said that the reason was that the implant was too long and stood crooked. Here you have expensive implants, but the doctor’s hands don’t grow from there!..”

Irina, Moscow

So the service life of even the most expensive dental implants in problematic situations can be only a few months. Moreover, numerous reviews on the Internet indicate that such cases are not so rare. And the patient, unfortunately, has to undergo treatment again in another clinic and spend a lot of money again.

Here are some practical tips to help reduce the risk of a clinic denying warranty obligations:

choose a clinic that has been on the market for a long time, values its “name” and tries to maintain a positive reputation;
in dentistry, everything must be provided for implantation: diagnostic equipment, the presence of implant surgeons, as well as orthopedists who can make prostheses secured to implants;
choose an experienced doctor who has performed more than one successful operation to install implants;
study reviews not only and not so much about the clinic, but about the doctor - both on the Internet and in the book of complaints and suggestions (you can check with the clinic administrator about its availability);
attend several free consultations - compare the opinions of specialists regarding your situation;
strictly follow all doctor’s prescriptions and do not skip preventive examinations;
Don’t go for cheap – implantation, by definition, cannot be too cheap, and a significant part of the price is made up of expensive implants.

Speaking about the service life of implants, it is worth recalling that the titanium “screw” screwed into the jawbone is only part of the entire structure, which also includes the abutment and the prosthesis itself (for example, a crown). What is what is clearly shown in the photo below:

So, it is useful to keep in mind that the service life of prostheses can be several times shorter than the service life of titanium implants themselves. We'll talk more about this below.

So how long does a dental implant actually last?

In our country, dental implantation appeared no more than 20 years ago, and the stage of active development was even less. Therefore, it is rare that a dentist can boast of at least 10 years of experience in installing dental implants. This means that it is quite problematic to find out exactly how long it will take to replace implants if they are successfully engrafted and in normal use - such statistics have simply not been collected yet.

However, implantation has a longer history abroad. For example, in European countries, the first operations began to be carried out back in the 60s of the last century, which makes it possible to monitor statistics over a fairly large period of time.

This is interesting!

According to foreign practice, the highest service life is observed for implants in the premium segment - Astra Tech, Nobel, Straumann, XIVE, Ankylos, Bicon. On average, they last for at least 20 years without any problems. Middle-class implants last about 10-15 years - brands such as Implantium, BioHorizons, MIS.

But these are only average statistics. Just as inexpensive implants can last until the end of your life, the most advanced systems can become a problem within a couple of years after installation (or even earlier). Each case is individual, and the actual “shelf life” of implants depends both on the patient’s health and his responsible attitude towards new teeth, and on the professionalism of the implantologist who performed the prosthetics.

Above, we discussed, first of all, dental implants of the classical type. The service life of today's popular basal implants (that is, those installed not in the loose surface part of the bone, but in its denser basal layers) is generally comparable to classical ones. Today, those models of basal implants, the installation of which was carried out through a lateral incision in the gum, are practically a thing of the past - often they were rejected after 2-3 years, unable to withstand the load from the prosthesis (for an example, see the photo below).

And although basal implantation began to be practiced in Russia not so long ago, today there is every reason to believe that, provided there is sufficient oral hygiene, modern designs can serve a person for decades.

Even implants installed in weakened bone, for example due to periodontitis or periodontal disease, can safely last for many years (with daily careful oral hygiene and, possibly, annual drug therapy).

As for the service life of the so-called mini-implants, according to the manufacturers, it is similar to the service life of classic implants and averages 20-25 years. However, it is not yet possible to trace this in practice, since mini-implants are installed for no more than 10 years. Moreover, reviews about them vary: some experts believe that this is an excellent (and inexpensive) opportunity to secure uncomfortable removable dentures, although some doctors do not recognize these systems.

Note

Mini-implants are installed not in the bone, but in the periosteum (tissue between the bone and gum), due to which the bone tissue, not receiving sufficient chewing load, atrophies and sags. As a result, the prosthesis has to be constantly adjusted. And the position of mini-implants sometimes changes due to excessive load, which can lead to their mobility, rejection and the need for removal even a couple of years after installation.

How to know when it's time to change your implant

Only a doctor can determine when it’s time to replace a dental implant. It is only important to visit your dentist regularly (1-2 times a year) to assess the progress of implant healing and examine the condition of the tissues around it.

Generally speaking, the need to change implants usually arises only when any serious problems and corresponding symptoms appear. Moreover, such problems can arise both a year after installing the product, and after 10, 20 and even 30 years of its active use.

If you do not feel any pain, discomfort or other problems associated with the previously installed implant, then there is no need to change it.

Here are the typical reasons for replacing implants, which are most often encountered in practice:

trauma to the jaw or tooth, which caused the implant to become loose. The structure can also be pushed deeper into the jawbone, or, conversely, unscrewed;
peri-implantitis (inflammation of the tissue around the implant): usually accompanied by redness of the gums, pain when pressed, pus may be released and an unpleasant odor from the implant may appear;
implant rejection – occurs as a consequence of peri-implantitis. A characteristic sign of the problem is also the mobility of the implant.

Thus, when mobility appears (even slight, which can sometimes only be assessed by a doctor using special instruments), swelling and redness of tissues, pain in the area of installed dental implants, there is a high probability that the service life of the structure is coming to an end.

How long will it last and how long does it take to remove a movable dental implant? If the doctor reports that it is time to change the implant (and this usually happens when mobility is detected), then this should be done as quickly as possible. Otherwise, tissue inflammation can lead to serious complications, even those that can threaten the patient’s life.

As a result, a surgical operation is performed to remove the movable structure: the prosthesis is removed, the gums are cut, and the implant is removed from the jaw. As a rule, then, after about 1-2 months, re-implantation is possible. In some cases (depending on the reason for removal of the implant), the patient may be offered a different method of prosthetics.

Note

It must be borne in mind that in the case of prosthetics on implants, problems can arise not only with the “titanium screw” implanted in the jaw, but also with the outer part of the structure - the prosthesis itself, the durability of which is often lower than that of a metal implant. We’ll talk further about how long it takes to replace such prostheses on implants...

Will the prosthesis last as long as an implant?

So, a metal implant implanted into the jaw bone may become mobile (rejected) over time due to inflammation of the tissue around it. Now let's see how things are going with the operation of the outer part of the structure - the prosthesis, and how soon it may need to be replaced.

First of all, you need to keep in mind that the service life of a prosthesis on implants largely depends on the material from which the crowns are made. The most short-lived are prostheses made of metal lined with plastic (metal-plastic crowns) - the plastic adheres relatively poorly to the base and often cracks and breaks off under load.

In addition, plastic is a porous material and absorbs food coloring, as well as the smallest food debris; As a result, the color of the crown changes and it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria. The service life of such metal-plastic prostheses is no more than 2-3 years.

Metal-ceramic crowns are much stronger and more durable. On average they last about 10-12 years. Among the main problems of these dentures are chips of ceramic enamel and the formation of cracks in the outer coating (however, for such defects to form, the load must be very significant, much greater than in the case of metal-plastic crowns).

In addition, both in the case of metal-plastic and metal-ceramic prostheses, patients often experience allergic reactions to metal (usually inexpensive alloys, so the problem can be partially solved by choosing precious metals, although this is a very expensive option).

The most advanced and durable prostheses are those made from zirconium dioxide - it is a very durable, aesthetic and non-allergenic material. In this case, with service life, everything is quite simple: no matter how many years titanium implants last, prostheses made of zirconium dioxide last almost as long (their stated service life is at least 15 years).

Note

If any prosthesis breaks, the implant does not need to be removed. The crowns are removed (in some cases, together with the abutment, especially if it is not template, but individual), then impressions are taken again and a new prosthesis is created.

What ultimately determines the service life of a dental implant?

Taking into account the above, we can make the following summary: a modern dental implant in many cases can reliably serve until the end of life, and at least not less than the service life declared by the manufacturer. However, whether everything will work out successfully depends on a number of conditions, the key of which are:

professionalism of the implantologist and correct installation of the implant;
the professionalism of the orthopedic doctor who takes part in the manufacture of the prosthesis (the correct load on the implants from the prosthesis, its precise fit to the gums and implants is very important);
high quality of the implant (today, by the way, there are also Chinese dental implants, the quality of which is not always predictable);
adequate oral hygiene and care of dentures on implants by the patient himself;
general health of the patient.

Implantologists note that many patients, after complete implantation and installation of permanent dentures, unfortunately forget about hygiene and regular preventive examinations, believing that artificial teeth, unlike natural ones, are not attacked by bacteria - they say, they are artificial, and therefore “inedible” for bacteria.

Yes, caries does not form on crowns made of metal, plastic and ceramics, but unwanted dental deposits may well form. In addition, artificial teeth are surrounded by living tissues, inflammation and damage to which, including due to dental plaque that is not removed in time, can lead to a reduction in the service life of the implant and the need for its removal along with the crown.

So, as you can see, how long dental implants will last largely depends on the patient himself.

Note:

Implantation is a rather expensive procedure, and not every patient can afford to update installed implants every 5 years. Therefore, in this situation, money is a good motivator for taking care of your teeth. For example, many patients after implantation give up smoking altogether, since this bad habit generally increases the risk of implant rejection.

Here are some useful tips that, if followed, can significantly increase the chances that a dental implant will have a maximum service life - until the end of a person’s life, or at least 10-20 years:

regular enhanced oral hygiene. In the morning and evening – brush and paste; it is also advisable to use irrigators or special interdental brushes. After eating, remove food debris; it is usually not recommended to use dental floss, as it can damage the mucous membrane and dentures. It is better to use an irrigator. Particular attention should be paid to the gums; they should not be allowed to become inflamed;
Quitting smoking – it has a detrimental effect on the condition of the oral mucosa, which, in turn, carries the risk of disrupting metabolic processes in the tissues around the implant and its rejection;
Limiting the load on the implant and prosthesis (do not chew nuts, do not open bottles with your teeth);
1-2 times a year it is necessary to remove dental deposits - plaque and stones, as they can provoke inflammation of the gums;
Needless to say, the face and jaw must be protected from injury in every possible way;
At least once a year - preventive examinations at the dentist to assess the condition of the dental system. Such inspections sometimes make it possible to identify an emerging problem in time and not take it to the extreme.

If you have personal experience with implant prosthetics, be sure to leave your review at the bottom of this page, telling us whether everything is great in this regard, or if you have any problems.