You are about to spend real money, and you want to know whether it holds. Dental implants can last 15 to 20 years or longer, and many last a lifetime. At Strobel Family Dental, Dr. Heber Strobel has placed over 70 implants in Rexburg. He trained at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. He also holds the 2023 Hanau Best of the Best Excellence in Prosthodontics Award.
There is one thing almost nobody explains, and it changes the whole answer. An implant is not a single object, so it does not have a single lifespan. Dr. Dirk Strobel has answered this question for Rexburg families for over 40 years. His DDS comes from Creighton University School of Dentistry. If you are still weighing the decision itself, start with our dental implants in Rexburg page. Patients from Burton, Newdale, and Rigby ask us this before anything else.
What Is the Actual Lifespan of a Dental Implant?
Dental implants can last 15 to 20 years or longer when they are cared for properly. Many last the rest of a patient’s life. That range holds for the titanium post placed into your jawbone. Results vary from person to person, since bone health and hygiene both play a part. No dentist can promise you an exact number of years.
This article is about how long an implant lasts after it is finished. If you are asking how long it takes to get one, that is a different question. Most single implant cases run about six months from consultation to final crown. This page picks up where that timeline ends.
Why Does Every Article Give You a Different Number?
Search this question and the answers you get will not agree with each other. One page promises a decade of use and the next promises forever. Neither one of them is lying to you about it. They are quietly answering about different parts of the same implant.
An implant has a post in the bone and a crown on top. Those two pieces wear out on completely different schedules. The post is buried and protected, so it rarely needs attention once it fuses. Bone grows tightly around it and holds it in place. The crown does all the chewing, so it wears the way any tooth surface wears.
What Makes a Dental Implant Last Longer?
Most of what determines lifespan happens after you leave the office. The implant itself is stable, but the gum and bone holding it are living tissue. Those tissues respond to how you care for them every day. That is genuinely good news, because it means much of this is in your hands.
Here is what protects an implant over the long run:
- Brushing and flossing around the implant daily
- Keeping regular checkups and professional cleanings
- Healthy gums and enough bone to hold the post
- Not smoking, which slows healing and gum recovery
- A bite that is not carrying more force than it should
- Treating night grinding before it wears the crown down
None of that is complicated, and none of it costs much. Patients who stay consistent with follow up visits tend to see fewer surprises. Small changes get caught while they are still small and inexpensive to fix. Waiting until something hurts almost always costs more in the end. Dr. Heber Strobel would rather see you every six months than every six years.
How Long Does Each Part of an Implant Last?
Splitting the implant into its parts is the clearest way to answer this. Each piece has a different job, sits in a different place, and wears differently. The table below shows how the two main parts compare.
| The post in your jawbone | The crown on top | |
| What it is | A titanium screw replacing the root | The visible tooth you chew with |
| Where it sits | Fused into the bone, below the gum | Above the gum line, fully exposed |
| How long it lasts | 15 to 20 years or longer, often a lifetime | Around ten to fifteen years |
| What wears it out | Gum infection or bone loss around it | Everyday chewing, grinding, and wear |
| What happens next | It usually stays right where it is | A new crown is made for the same post |
That last row is the part patients are relieved to hear. Replacing a worn crown does not mean repeating the surgery. The post stays put and a new crown is fitted onto it. The same holds for full arch implants, where the bridge is maintained separately from the posts.
What Happens to a Dental Implant After 20 Years?
Twenty years in, most implants are still doing their job. The post is generally still fused and stable in the bone. What has changed by then is usually above the gum line. Outcomes vary, though this is the pattern we see most often.
By that point you might notice some of the following:
- The post still solid and holding firm in the bone
- A crown that looks worn, dull, or slightly discoloured
- Gums that have receded enough to show the crown edge
- A bite that has shifted as other teeth moved over time
- A replacement crown fitted onto the original post
- No repeat of the original surgery in most cases
An implant at twenty years usually needs a new crown, not new surgery. The expensive and invasive part of the work was done once already. What comes later is maintenance, and it is much smaller work. That distinction is worth understanding before you decide anything at all.
Who Places and Maintains Implants in Rexburg?
Dr. Heber Strobel places implants and restores them here, without sending you to an outside specialist. In most cases he places a bone graft at the time of the extraction. That saves you a separate procedure later and keeps the whole timeline shorter. You see the same people for the placement, the crown, and every checkup after. Nobody has to drive to Idaho Falls to have a question answered.
Strobel Family Dental has looked after Rexburg families since 1985. Both doctors work under one roof, which matters when a crown needs attention in year twelve. Keeping regular cleanings on the calendar is the single best thing you can do for an implant. Saturday hours run from 7AM to 1PM for families across the Upper Snake River Valley. Our restorative dentistry hub covers crowns and dentures alongside implants.
Get a Straight Answer Before You Commit to Anything
You came here wondering whether an implant is worth what it costs. Now you know the post is built to last and the crown is a maintenance item. Dr. Heber Strobel of Louisiana State University School of Dentistry will assess your bone and gums honestly. Dr. Dirk Strobel has given Rexburg families straight answers for over 40 years. Neither one will push you toward treatment before you are ready for it.
If you are weighing an implant, the useful next step is an honest evaluation. Bring your questions about lifespan, maintenance, and what happens down the road. Call 208-356-4400 or visit strobelfamilydental.com to book a consultation. Families across the Upper Snake River Valley trust this team with work meant to last.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dental implants ever need to be replaced?
The post rarely does, but the crown on top usually will. Most crowns need replacing somewhere around ten to fifteen years. Replacing one is straightforward because the post stays exactly where it is. Cleveland Clinic explains that an implant is made of a post, an abutment, and a restoration, and those parts are handled separately.
What does nobody tell you about dental implants?
That the surgery happens once but the crown is a maintenance item. Most patients expect a permanent tooth and are surprised to hear about replacement at all. Knowing it upfront makes the long term cost far easier to plan for. The ADA describes implants as an excellent long term option that still depends on ongoing care.
How many times can an implant crown be replaced?
A stable post can carry more than one crown across a patient’s lifetime. There is no fixed limit, because it depends on the bone holding that post. Your dentist checks the post each visit and replaces only what has worn. Cleveland Clinic tracks implant outcomes over time, and results vary between patients.
Can a dental implant get a cavity?
No, because there is no natural tooth material left to decay. The gum and bone around the implant can still become infected though. That is why brushing, flossing, and regular cleanings still matter just as much. Cleveland Clinic notes that implants do not get cavities, which surprises most patients.
