{"id":168,"date":"2025-04-12T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-12T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weldondental.com\/blog\/?p=168"},"modified":"2025-06-19T18:11:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T18:11:16","slug":"too-late-for-a-full-smile-how-dental-implants-may-be-an-option-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weldondental.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/12\/too-late-for-a-full-smile-how-dental-implants-may-be-an-option-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Too Late for a Full Smile? How Dental Implants May Be an Option for You"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you are dealing with tooth loss and have been looking for ways to restore them, you’ve likely run across dental implants<\/a>. This restorative treatment is one of the most popular options available, as it acts and looks like your natural teeth. But if you have been missing teeth for years, you may wonder if you are still a good candidate for them. Read on to see how your dentist can help make you eligible for dental implants even after years of missing teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How Missing Teeth Affect Your Oral Health<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s typically best to get a dental implant soon after losing a tooth since it helps prevent jawbone loss. Your natural teeth stimulate your jaw every time you bite and chew. Those actions tell your body that you are still using your jawbone, so nutrients and circulation continue to be sent, keeping it strong and healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have a missing tooth, that part of the jaw isn\u2019t getting the stimulation it needs. Your body starts to reallocate those minerals elsewhere, leading to a weakened jaw. Dental implants fuse to your jawbone in order to stay in place. Without sufficient jawbone density, they can fail and fall out of your mouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it Too Late for Me to Get Dental Implants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The good news is that even if you\u2019ve been missing teeth for years and have low jawbone density, you can likely still benefit from dental implants! To overcome the lack of a sturdy jawbone and ensure your dental implants last a lifetime, your dentist may recommend one of two options: all-on-4 dental implants or a preliminary bone graft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a preliminary bone graft, bone tissue is taken from elsewhere in the body or from a donor and added to the areas of the jaw that have been weakened or lost. Your body uses this new tissue to grow and regenerate the affected area. After a few months, you will regain enough jawbone volume and density to support dental implants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, if you\u2019re missing all of your teeth from one or both of your dental arches, you may be eligible for all-on-4 dental implants<\/a>. For this unique technique, four dental implants are placed in specific areas of the jawbone that are naturally strong and thick. The angles of the dental implants that are placed allow them to take full advantage of your existing jawbone, providing complete support for a full denture, which can often be placed on the same day as your dental implant surgery! All-on-4 dental implants allow you to enjoy all the benefits of an implant denture without needing a bone graft first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Dental Implants Can Benefit You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you get dental implants, they can affect your life positively in many ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n