Q. How long after the loss of teeth can I be treated with dental implants?

A. Until fairly recently, it was sometimes difficult to treat patients who had lost their teeth many years before because so much bone had been resorbed by the time they sought treatment. Today, however, many materials have become available to to build up or graft the natural ridge, creating sufficient bone for implant treatment. As a result, timing is no longer as critical as it once was. Implants can be placed into sockets where teeth have been extracted or lost in an accident, and we put implants into jaw bones that lost their natural teeth roots decades earlier. If a tooth, or teeth, have been missing for years, quite often a considerable amount of bone has been lost from disease. If the teeth happen to be in the front where aesthetics are extremely important, the ridge is built up with a graft first to restore it to its original shape and size. The implants are placed only after the ridge has healed. This procedure is done to give the most natural look possible.