Can You Get Dental Implants With Bone Loss?

People who are considering dental implants for tooth loss must meet a few strict requirements:

Have good overall oral health
Have healthy gums
Not smoke
Have healthy bone

If you've been dealing with tooth loss for a while now, your jawbone may have been affected, which means that you may not have enough bone mass anymore.

Can you still get a dental implant if you have bone loss?

Why Is Bone Mass Important?

The implant will be surgically inserted into your jawbone. But, for the implant to hold, you need robust and dense bone mass. Otherwise, the dental implant could become loose and fail.

If you've been experiencing tooth loss for a long time, that area of your jaw wasn't stimulated anymore when chewing. Over time, this has caused the bone to lose volume and density, making your jaw an insecure foundation for the implant.

All Hope Is Not Lost

Here's the good news: It's possible to get dental implants in West Bend even with bone loss. Depending on how deteriorated the jawbone is, the dentist may recommend one of the following procedures:

Bone Grafting: Bone tissue taken from another part of your body or a donor can be grafted onto the jawbone. This stimulates bone growth, creating a more stable base for implants.
‍Sinus Lift: This is essentially a bone graft applied to the upper jaw, near the molars and premolars. The dentist elevates the sinus membrane to make room for additional bone.
‍Ridge Expansion: If your jaw isn’t wide enough to support implants, bone graft material can be added to a small ridge created along the jaw.

What to Expect Next?

If you need additional treatment to improve the health of your jawbone, you need to understand that the dental implant process will take even longer than expected.

On average, it takes between six to nine months for the dental implant to fuse with the bone and provide a secure foundation for the tooth. But, if you need a bone graft, for example, you can easily add another 4 months to this timeline. That's usually how long it takes for the graft to stimulate bone growth.

Only after the dentist considers that you have enough bone density, will they proceed with the implant surgery.

After the osseointegration process is completed (the six months during which the implant integrates with the bone,) the dentist will place the abutment, a connector piece between the implant and the crown. The abutment needs a couple of weeks to heal, after which you are ready to get your crown and complete your implant.

Are Dental Implants the Right Restoration for Me?

The dental implant process is lengthy, especially if you need additional treatment, but the wait is worthwhile. If you are interested in implants, the team at Oakbrook Dental can help you access the best care for your needs.