“Can I get a dental implant years after extraction?”

Yes, of course, provided there will be enough bone to support the implant. Your dentist can evaluate the area and let you know if there is enough bone.

Yes! Even decades later. In some cases the surgeon may need to graft bone to the achieve the desired result.

Yes, absolutely. However, on the mandible, the bone resorbs with no teeth, so you may need bone augmentation as well to place the implant.

You will more than likely be able to get a dental implant on the site your tooth was extracted several years ago, however, you should go to your dentist for a consultation first. You may need to have a bone graft procedure done to beforehand. In certain cases, it is not possible to have dental implants placed, but that all depends.

Kindly,

Dr. Andy Gaertner

Yes, BUT: Getting dental implants depends on how much bone you have left in the area. A CT scan can determine that. 

Yes. In some cases because of bone loss since the extraction you may need bone grafting before placing the implant.

The proper answer is "sometimes". After an extraction the bone resorbs or shrinks, both in width and length. If there is still enough bone then yes, an implant is certainly possible. Sometimes the bone shrinks so much that a bone graft or "augmentation" is necessary prior to doing an implant.

It is possible to get an implant years after an extraction but it depends on several factors. If the bone loss in height is too great or bone thickness is to thin, you will probably require bone grafting for the first and ridge expansion with or without bone grafting depending on what method is required to expand the bone for the placement of an implant. And we would hope that your periodontal health is adequate for long term success with an implant placement.

As long as the teeth on either side of the site where the tooth was extracted, this is usually possible. Another determining factor for whether or not an implant is able to be placed is the size and quality of the remaining bone where the tooth was extracted. Ultimately, this is something you need to discuss with your general dentist so they can evaluate and treatment plan accordingly.

If there is enough bone and width of the ridge, sometimes yes. You would have to have and evaluation with the surgeon to look at the bone.

If you have bone, yes, and if not, bone grafting may help with placement of the implant.

Hello,

Dental implants are the most natural way to replace teeth; so we try to put them in when we can which would include a tooth that was extracted year ago. However, there are several factors that come into play when a tooth has been extracted years ago that make the process more difficult.
the biggest problem with placing dental implants is having enough jaw bone and having it in the right place. A carpenter can put a screw into a piece of wood because he/she knows how big the wood is and what it is shaped like. The shape of a person's jaw bone is curvy and when a tooth has been missing for a few years the jaw bone tends to atrophy (shrink). This means there is even less bone to hold the implant.
Complicating factors even more there are other anatomic structures that can get in the way, such as; sinus cavity in the upper jaw (maxilla) or the nerve bundle in the lower jaw (mandible). Since the implant can not be placed in these structures, the loss of bone is more critical. Not to worry though. There have been procedures that have been developed to deal with these structures; such as a sinus lift (moving the sinus cavity upwards and adding more jaw bone for the implant).
Since there has been so much development of implants and procedures around them, there are very few cases where implants can not be placed. It just may require an extra procedure. Hope this helps

My Best to you!

William F. Scott IV, DMD