Dental Implant Years After Extraction
If you had a tooth extracted or if one of your permanent teeth fell out or was knocked out, you may be curious about your tooth replacement options. If it’s been a few years since you lost your tooth, you may not even be familiar with the breadth of replacement options or know whether it’s possible to replace the tooth. However you got here, you may find yourself wondering what your dental replacement options are, years after extraction, and whether you can get dental implants years later. The good news is that people who have good oral health can usually get dental implants years after extraction or tooth loss. Sometimes, additional procedures are necessary, but overall, a vast majority of the time, it is possible to safely and successfully place dental implants even several years after the tooth was initially lost.
Dental implants are thought to be the best possible option for tooth replacement, providing a long-lasting, natural-looking, comfortable solution. A dental implant restoration uses a dental implant post, an implant abutment, and the dental restoration itself. The dental implant post is a small cylinder made of biocompatible material, usually titanium, that is surgically embedded in the jaw, beneath the gums. Once it is implanted, the bone that surrounds the implant fuses with the post and creates a permanent base to support a dental restoration, much like a natural tooth root supports a natural tooth. After the bone and the implant have fully fused, an attachment fixture called an abutment is installed to the top of the implant post. This abutment will connect the dental restoration to the implant post, creating the slight elevation above the gum line that natural teeth share while also securely holding the dental restoration. The dental restoration itself is a dental crown or implant bridge or denture, any of which can be attached to and supported by the implant posts and replicate the natural appearance and solid mechanical function of the teeth.
When a tooth is extracted or falls out, the jawbone in the area where the tooth was will gradually shrink as it is reabsorbed into the body. The majority of this bone resorption will occur within the first year after the tooth is lost, and the longer the tooth goes unreplaced, the more bone will be lost. This means that you may need additional procedures to restore the bone before dental implants can be safely placed. One of these procedures is the bone graft procedure, which helps restore the bone in the jaw and prepare it for a safe dental implant treatment. If the teeth surrounding the missing tooth have shifted over time, they could shift into the empty dental socket and interfere with the placement of a dental implant. If this occurs, orthodontic treatments may be required in order to return the natural teeth to their proper positions and make room to accommodate the dental implant; orthodontic treatment will also help realign the teeth and improve their overall appearance. If you couldn’t afford a dental replacement at the time that you lost your tooth, or if you weren’t happy with your dental replacement options, there’s still a good chance that you could have dental implants placed years after extraction, so talk to your dentist and learn what your options are.