Can I Get a Dental Implant Years Later?

Can I Get a Tooth Implant Years Later After the Tooth Extraction? The answer is yes.

You can get a dental implant one, two, five, ten, or even twenty years later after your tooth has been removed.

The important factor to consider is how much jawbone mass is available to anchor the dental implant. If you have been missing multiple teeth on one jaw for many years, then it’s possible the bone mass has deteriorated to the point that you need bone grafting.

Through bone grafting your natural bone mass can be increased, so that the dental implant screws can form a stable bond between the crowns and your jawbone through a process called osseointegration.

In this article we will discuss the most common time frames that patients have missing teeth for.

Dental Implant 1 or 2 Years After Extraction

If you have had missing teeth for 1 or 2 years, there should be still enough bone mass for most patients to get affordable dental implants. In particular, if you only have one missing tooth there is a high chance that no bone grafting is required and you can get your dental implant immediately.

Dental Implant 5 Years After Extraction

For patients who have had missing teeth for five years, there is a higher chance that the jawbone mass is reduced.

In any case, our dental clinic will take 3D X-rays to analyse whether you can have dental implants without bone grafting. Again, the more teeth you are missing, the more likely it is that bone grafting is required.

Dental Implant 10 Years After Extraction

Patients who have had missing teeth for years can still be good candidates for dental implants, even 10 years after the tooth extraction. In many cases it’s a matter of first controlling inflammation and gum disease, before the dental implant procedure can start.

Through X-rays your dental clinic will determine if you have enough bone mass to get a dental implant.

Dental Implant 20 Years Later

Patients who have been missing teeth for 20 years or more will see a significant reduction in their jawbone mass. This could mean that you need bone grafting in order to proceed with dental implants.

For any patient with missing teeth, it’s recommended to come into our dental office for a free consultation to get a personalised treatment plan.

 

Factors that Can Affect the Success of Dental Implants

Even with the very high success rate for dental implants, some people can still have implant failure. Proper dental implant care is essential for long-term success. Here are three things to keep in mind regarding your dental implants’ success.

1. Periodontal diseases

Tooth implant surgery requires healthy gums, and those with active periodontal disease are ineligible. Periodontal disease is caused by infection and inflammation of the gums and jawbone, which can lead to tooth loss. Periodontal disease is more commonly referred to as “gum disease”. The implant could fail if an infection develops around it. Before getting an implant, your dentist will check if you have any traces of gum disease.

2. Smoking tobacco

In addition to reducing blood flow to the gums, smoking leads to tooth implant failure because it slows the process of healing.

According to numerous studies, the failure rate of dental implants can be as high as 20% for smokers.

Smokers are therefore not seen as ideal candidates for a dental implants. However, if you stopped smoking one week before an implant and didn’t smoke for at least two months following the procedure, you may have a better outcome.

3. Jawbone mass 

Sufficient jawbone mass is required for the success of the dental implant procedure. The implant cannot be surgically implanted into your jaw if there is not enough healthy bone in your jaw.

Osteoporosis can cause bone loss. This condition occurs when bone density decreases. Osteoporosis increase the risk of bone fractures as the bones become more brittle. Moreover, the jawbone can deteriorate due to severe gum disease.

Bone Grafting for Dental Implants

Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that involves using bone from another part of the body, or a synthetic bone substitute, to add additional bone mass to an area of the jaw where the bone mass has been lost. This can be necessary for patients who have been missing teeth for an extended period of time and have experienced significant bone loss in the jaw. The added bone mass is needed to provide a stable foundation to anchor the dental implant screws.

Success Rates of Dental Implants

Dental implants have a high success rate, with studies showing a success rate of 95–98%. However, the success of a dental implant can be affected by a variety of factors, including the patient’s overall oral health, the quality of the implant and placement, and the patient’s post-surgical care. Patients who have good oral health, do not smoke, and follow proper care instructions for their dental implants are more likely to have successful implants.

The Dental Implant Process

The process of getting a dental implant typically involves a consultation with a dentist or oral surgeon to determine if the patient is a good candidate for the procedure. The planning process includes taking 3D X-rays to assess the patient’s jawbone mass and determine whether bone grafting is necessary. The implant surgery itself involves placing the implant screws into the jawbone and allowing them to heal and integrate with the bone over the course of several months. Once the implant has fully integrated, the dentist will attach a crown or other restoration to the implant to complete the process.

Is It Possible to Go without Dental Implants for an Extended Period?

It is not recommended to go without teeth for a long period of time, mainly because the jawbone mass will be reduced, when no teeth are anchored into the jawbone. This is a common problem with people who have been wearing removable dentures for many years.

Can You Get an Implant Without a Bone Graft?

There must be an adequate amount of bone for an implant to succeed. For the implant to be osseointegrated, patients must have enough bone in the area where it will be placed. These patients may benefit from bone grafting to get the treatment they need.

What Happens If You Have a Tooth Pulled and Didn’t Replace It?

The neighbouring the teeth around the pulled tooth (empty space) begin to shift due to the absence of that tooth. Teeth may become crooked, or new gaps will form between teeth over time. Super-eruption may also be an issue.