What Happens if You Wait Too Long for a Dental Implant?

It’s never a good idea to put off surgery, despite how intimidating it might seem. Dental implant surgery is no different. It’s an important procedure that only gets more complicated the longer you wait. Missing teeth negatively impact oral health and can take an emotional toll every time you smile. To avoid the long-term negative effects of missing teeth, it’s best to schedule dental implant surgery as soon as possible. Putting it off could have even more consequences.

Removing teeth changes your jaw structure

One of the major negative effects of missing teeth is that it can change a person’s jaw structure over time. Shifting teeth, bone deterioration and supra eruption of adjacent teeth are all possibilities when it comes to missing teeth.

• Bone deterioration: The jawbone density begins to deteriorate at the site of a missing tooth the longer the space is unfilled. This deterioration will only increase over time, weakening the jaw.
• Supra eruption: During a supra eruption, the tooth below or above a missing tooth may start moving into that free space. Not only does this look a bit off, it makes dental implant surgery much more difficult.
• Shifting teeth: Over time, the teeth near the space of a missing tooth may start to shift. If the teeth have shifted, the patient might require braces before dental implant surgery can take place.
• Sinuses may move: This process is called pneumatization. In your upper jaw where your sinuses are located, when a tooth is removed without replacing it with an implant your sinus may move into that space making implant placement complicated.

The emotional tolls of missing teeth

Not only are missing teeth bad for oral health, they also negatively affect a person’s emotional health. There’s a certain amount of self-conscious feeling that comes with missing teeth for most people. It’s harder for those with missing teeth to smile in front of others. There’s also constant fear that other people might notice missing teeth and judge you for it.

Constant blows to self-esteem as a result of missing teeth might cause depression and social anxiety. While dental implant surgery isn’t always the only thing someone needs to raise their self-esteem, it’s often helpful in giving them back a full smile, which can go a long way toward boosting confidence.

How long after extraction should you get an implant?

The amount of time you should wait to get a dental implant after a tooth extraction can vary depending on several factors, including the health of the extraction site and position of surrounding teeth. That said, most dentists and oral surgeons recommend waiting a minimum of 10 weeks. This ensures that the mouth has had plenty of time to heal, without waiting so long as to lose bone density.

Consult with a dentist about getting an implant

It’s wise to get as much detail as you can before any surgery, which means scheduling a consult with the dental implant specialist before an upcoming implant. An implant surgeon can give specific surgery information based on the state of each patient’s situation and the scope of the implant surgery.

It’s best to not put off dental impact surgery. Waiting too long allows teeth to shift, making it much more difficult to place the implant. Putting off surgery isn’t worth experiencing the emotional tolls of missing teeth – or the additional expense that comes from bone repair/grafting due to bone density loss.