Time flies by fast when we get older. I can attest to the rapid progression of time as I've been married for seven years and find myself saying, 'it feels like yesterday.' The other day I had a patient call me thinking she saw us a couple years ago (sometime in 2018) when in reality it was over 5 years ago! Needless to say, time flies by when we're not paying attention and unfortunately this can restrict your choice for teeth replacement options.
Your window of opportunity to get dental implants is limited. Once your teeth are pulled, the clock starts. I like to call it 'The Jaw-Bone Clock'. For a recent patient, she finally decided it was time to solve her lower loose denture problems with dental implants. When she came to see us and expressed her enthusiasm to finally get dental implants, we had to be the bearers of bad news and say that it was too late. You see, her jaw bone had shrunk to the point of no return. That's tough news to hear because essentially, she'll have to make it work with alternative methods, like denture adhesives. I wish there was a way to personally measure how much the jaw bone shrinks per year, but x-rays can only provide such answers. Below is a good reference picture, though. As you can see, your jaw bone shrinks significantly over time. Anyone who has decided to pursue the dental implant option for teeth replacement is required to have an x-ray of their jaw to see if there is enough bone available. The dental implants need enough bone to properly integrate and be used as a solid foundation for a denture to snap or screw into. The benefits of a dental implant supported denture greatly outweigh the fear (that most have) of having them placed into the jaw. We think the best time to have dental implants placed is right when you have your teeth extracted, unless there's an infection. Thankfully, for most people there's still enough time, but it might not be that way for everyone. The sooner you act, the better. First, find out if you're still a candidate by booking your free consultation appointment with Brock. Together, we'll go over all your teeth replacement options to determine the best fit for you. Give us a call and see you soon!