Life can sometimes seem like a juggling act where you’re always tossing your responsibilities around. In all the chaos, the urgency of replacing missing teeth can sometimes take a back seat. However, as time passes, the question becomes: Is it too late? Can you wait too long to replace missing teeth with dental implants?
If you want to find the answer to this conundrum, continue reading. You’ll learn more about dental implants and how your timeline affects the treatment.
Factor 1: Bone Health
One critical factor in the success of dental implants is the health of the jawbone. Over time, the bone may start to deteriorate in the absence of teeth. Your dentist will need to examine your remaining bone density via X-rays to determine if the procedure can still be successful.
In most cases, even a substantial time lapse isn’t enough to deter the treatment, especially because your dentist can perform a bone graft to build the density back up before the implant is placed. However, other factors may complicate matters.
Factor 2: Tooth Shifting and Alignment
Whenever you lose a tooth, adjacent teeth tend to shift into the spaces left behind. As this shift occurs, it can lead to misalignment issues, affecting your bite and overall oral health. The longer you delay replacing missing teeth, the higher the risk of complications in the alignment of your remaining natural teeth.
Factor 3: Health of Adjacent Teeth
If you lose a tooth, the adjacent teeth must pick up the slack. As neighboring teeth bear the load meant for the missing tooth, they are subjected to increased pressure and wear. This can lead to the deterioration of adjacent teeth which gets worse as time passes.
Factor 4: Emotional Health
It’s hard to go day to day with missing teeth, especially if you’re normally a social person. Many feel embarrassed or judged about their tooth loss, so they hide it. These consistent blows to self-esteem can be devastating over time. Delaying dental implant placement can prolong the psychological impact of tooth loss, so it is best to replace teeth promptly.
So, dental implants can still be successful after long periods of time. However, there are definite benefits to replacing them sooner rather than later. If you’ve recently lost a tooth, you can avoid additional damage to your smile by scheduling a dental implant. If you’re still unsure, talk to your dentist. They can offer you insight advice tailored to your case.
About the Practice
At Bell Dental, you’ll find hard-working and dedicated dentists who are ready to help you with all of your dental needs. If you want dental implants, they have specialists who can provide you with a customized treatment plan. To schedule a dental implant consultation, call (502) 749-2355 or visit the website to explore other services.