What Happens if You Don't Get a Dental Implant After Tooth Extraction?

Find out what happens if you don't get a dental implant after tooth extraction and why it's important to get one as soon as possible. Learn about San Diego dental implants and other methods for replacing teeth.

What Happens if You Don't Get a Dental Implant After Tooth Extraction?

If you don't get a

dental implant

after a tooth extraction, you may face some serious complications. After 12 months without an implant, bone loss is likely to occur and other procedures, such as sinus lift or bone grafting, may be necessary. The teeth surrounding the space are also likely to move if the space isn't treated. After six months, you will begin to experience bone loss in the extraction area.

It's even possible to postpone the procedure for so long that you can no longer get a dental implant. People who have been missing teeth for decades have those teeth replaced by implants all the time. However, it's important to remember that the success rate of an implant is much higher when the patient takes care of it within the recommended time frame. A year after extraction means that instead of just one dental implant, you're likely to also face a bone graft.

Keep in mind that regardless of whether you decide to get your dental implants as soon as possible, you'll need to wait at least 10 weeks before you can perform implant surgery. The American Dental Association website states that dental implants are one of the biggest advances in dentistry in the last 40 years. San Diego dental implants are a popular method for replacing teeth, in which a titanium post replaces the tooth's natural root and is restored above for better function, health and appearance. It's important to understand that dental implants are recommended after an extraction to prevent bone loss, difficulty chewing, bite problems, and other consequences of tooth loss.

The National Institutes of Health states that an implant is considered successful if it works for five years in 75 percent of cases. It will provide patients with an objective and comprehensive educational resource on dental implants.