Discover the timeline and considerations for dental implant placement after tooth extraction. Can you get dental implants 2 years after extraction?
Dental implants are a great way to enhance your smile, improve the functionality of your teeth and boost your confidence.
Dental implant surgery replaces the tooth root with metal, screwlike posts. This is necessary to replace missing or damaged teeth and where dentures, bridges, and crowns may not be suitable.
If you have missing or damaged teeth due to tooth decay, root fractures, grinding or clenching your teeth, gum disease, or facial injury, dental implants are an effective solution.
To find out if dental implants are right for you, and to discover the timeline and considerations for dental implant placement after tooth extraction, keep reading.
Dental Implants in the UK
Dental implants are a long-term solution to fix missing or damaged teeth. Performed by a reputable clinic and experienced dentist in the UK, dental implants have an extremely high success rate.
In most cases, dental implants in the UK are only available privately. Although dental implant treatment may seem expensive in the UK, cheap dental implants abroad can be dangerous due to high risk of infection and the use of low-quality materials.
There are many benefits of dental implants in the UK in addition to improving the look, feel, and functionality of your teeth and smile.
Whether you need a single tooth implant or multiple teeth implants, professional dental implant specialists in the UK can help.
Can a Dental Implant be Placed 2 Years After Extraction?
While it is often best to place dental implants within a few months of extraction, thanks to innovation and advancement in dental technology, dental implants can still be placed years after extraction.
Not all patients can immediately get dental implants after extraction and so for whatever the reason, it is never too late to get dental implants.
However, this is dependent on a few crucial factors such as bone loss, jawbone shrinkage, and alignment issues. For this reason, there are several things to consider before deciding to place dental implants years after extraction.
Factors to Consider
Although it is possible to place dental implants years after extraction, many factors impact whether dental implants are the most suitable option.
- Gum tissue
When you are missing a tooth, your gums become weak. To qualify for dental implants, you need healthy and strong gums. This is because weak gum tissue can lead to gum recession and cause the jawbone to shrink. Weak gum tissue can also potentially lead to dental implant failure and serious oral issues after dental implant treatment.
In some cases, weak gum tissue can be treated, and many patients then qualify for dental implants. However, it may be that the gum tissue and jawbone are still not strong enough to support an implant.
- Oral health
If you have had a missing tooth for longer than six months, you are at significant risk of poor oral health. It is important that the jaw is healthy in order to successfully place dental implants. Poor oral health and hygiene can cause dental implants to shift out of place, serious issues during the healing period, and damage to the jawbone.
However, if you have good oral health, even if it has been years since your tooth extraction, dental implants are probably still an effective option for you.
Challenges and Considerations
Here are just some of the challenges and considerations to be made when considering dental implants two years after tooth extraction:
- Infection
The most common and avoidable cause of dental implant failure is infection. Red and swollen gums, throbbing in the mouth, pain when chewing, and bleeding around the implant when brushing are all signs of an infected tooth implant.
Infection often occurs due to poor oral health, poor bone quality, and alignment issues in the mouth. If your tooth has been missing for several years, it is likely you have experienced bone loss in the jaw, which increases the likelihood of infection.
To prevent infection caused by bone loss and weak gums, it is recommended you place dental implants within three months of tooth extraction.
- Bone loss
When you’re missing a tooth, the bone is no longer stimulated through chewing and biting and therefore, slowly disintegrates. This process is known as bone resorption and commonly referred to as bone loss.
Dental implants require a good level of bone density for support. For dental implants to be successful, the implant must fuse with the bone. A lack of bone can increase the risk of dental implant failure and make implants an ineffective solution.
If you have low bone density, it does not mean you cannot get tooth implants. However, you may need to undergo treatment to improve and restore your bone density.
- Gum disease
A missing tooth can lead to gum disease. This is because the gum loses its natural protection against debris, increasing the risk of infection. Gum disease weakens the tissue and bone, making them unable to sufficiently support a dental implant.
With gum disease, the chances of qualifying for dental implants are reduced, as it is often not possible to have dental implants fitted while gum disease is present.
However, many patients qualify for dental implants after undergoing treatment for gum disease and improving oral health.
What Happens if You Don’t Get Dental Implant After Tooth Extraction?
If a dental implant is not placed after extraction, over time bone loss, alignment issues, and jaw shrinkage is likely to occur. Failure to have dental implants within a few months of tooth extraction may lead to dental complications and put you at heightened risk of gum disease and other infections. But it is never too late to place dental implants, even years after tooth extraction, if you have good oral health.
What is the Maximum Time Between Extraction and Teeth Implant?
In some cases, it is possible to place a dental implant on the same day as a tooth extraction, but in most cases, a dentist will recommend waiting between three and six months. This is to allow the area to fully heal.
Although dental implants are often placed within a few months of extraction, it is possible to place dental implants years later.
Dental Expert Opinions
To get an expert opinion on whether dental implants are a suitable solution for you, speak to one of the experienced and professional dentists at Boutique Dental 23. Our team of dental implant specialists are ready and waiting to help. Get in touch today to know more about our dental services!
