Differentiating success from survival in modern implantology--key considerations for case selection, predicting complications and obtaining consent.

The use of dental implants to restore edentulous areas has increased significantly since the 1970s and is now considered, by many, the gold standard restorative treatment. As such it has become increasingly important to understand what constitutes success for these rehabilitations. Increasing focus has been given to acknowledging the difference between success and survival: the two being potentially very different outcomes for such invasive and expensive treatment. This article aims to describe this distinction and ultimately the implications of this for both patient and clinician.