How long does a dental implant last? What 10- and 20-year studies show

“Will an implant last a lifetime?” – we hear this question often. Medicine cannot offer guarantees. But there is good long-term data showing what is realistic – as long as you read it correctly.

In studies, “survival” simply means the implant is still in the mouth. “Success” is stricter and also requires stable bone and soft tissue without inflammation. An implant can therefore “survive” without being “successful” by strict criteria.

A Swiss long-term study (Chappuis et al., 2013) shows how large the gap can be: after 20 years, survival was 89.5%, while success was 75.8% or 89.5% depending on the criteria used.

A meta-analysis of 18 prospective studies (Howe et al., 2019) found a 10-year survival rate of 96.4%. A more cautious sensitivity analysis that accounts for patients lost to follow-up gave 93.2%. For patients aged 65 and over the figure was 91.5%.

Another review (Moraschini et al., 2015) of 23 studies with 7,711 implants and a mean follow-up of 13.4 years reported a mean survival of 94.6%, with a range of 73.4–100% between studies. About 70% of losses occurred after the crown had been fitted.

And after 20 years?

A meta-analysis of 20-year data (Kupka et al., 2024) found survival of 92% in prospective and 88% in retrospective studies. After statistically accounting for missing data, the figure fell to 78%. This also shows that the longer the period, the less certain the numbers become, because many patients are no longer followed up.

In the 20-year study by Chappuis et al., 92% of implants had lost less than 1 mm of bone between year one and year twenty.

Long-term figures come from study conditions with regular check-ups. In everyday life these points matter most:

• Oral hygiene and maintenance – the most important factor you control (Preventing peri-implantitis)
• History of gum disease, which should be stable before treatment
• Smoking – about twice the failure rate in one meta-analysis (see general health conditions)
• Available bone and planning
• Load, for example from night-time teeth grinding

Bear in mind that the crown on the implant is subject to wear. It may need replacing after some years even if the implant itself remains firmly in the bone.

Our conclusion

Implants are among the best-studied treatments in dentistry, with high survival rates over ten years and beyond. The only honest statement is this: an implant is a long-term solution, not a lifetime guarantee. How long it lasts depends largely on care and regular check-ups.

About the authorDr. med. dent. Hasan CoşkunCo-founder of LHC Clinic, Istanbul

Dr. Coşkun studied dentistry at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (graduated 2000) and worked as a dentist in Germany for around 20 years. He has placed more than 10,000 implants and now practises in Istanbul with a focus on implant dentistry.

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This article is for general information and does not replace a personal examination. Whether and which treatment is suitable for you can only be assessed after examination and a consultation.