How Much Bone is Needed to Place a Dental Implant?

The first thing you have to see is if you really need dental implants. Sometimes after having braces you think your teeth are pushed forward and that they have moved. A good indication to see if your teeth have moved forward is space between your teeth. If your teeth are still tight then chances are they are ok. If you feel that your teeth are loose the first thing we have to check is your bite. We have a computerized way of checking your bite with a device called a T-scan. This allows us to make sure your bite has not changed or is not putting any unnecessary force on any one tooth.  

Once you have ruled out all possible infections or pathologies, then we need to determine why you are losing bone. 

50% bone loss in a horizontal fashion is not a problem as long as it is maintained. 

Don't think implants yet until the cause of the problem if any is identified.

Teeth movement can often occur due to periodontal disease.  Periodontal disease is usually not something that can ever be cured, but we can manage it to drastically slow down the destruction of bone.  The only way to tell what shape your bone is in and how much is remaining around teeth is to have a complete exam with x-rays and periodontal probing.  A complete assessment by a dentist should be the first step to understanding what’s happening.


Implants can be placed in patients with bone loss.  Sometimes bone grafts are necessary.  They should only be placed once any existing gum conditions are under control.  Please seek a consultation with a trusted dentist to see if implants are a good option for you.


Good Luck!

It seems from your description that you are having an issue with bone loss.  This comes from unhealthy gums.  FIRST GET YOUR GUMS HEALTHY.  Implants are not a replacement for teeth lost due to unhealthy gums and supporting bone.  If you can restore your gums to health, you may be able to preserve your natural teeth.  Neglected gum and bone infections result in implant loss as easily as tooth loss.

You say that you are young and have some bone loss under your retainer...The answer is not to remove the teeth but to clean them up and prevent more bone loss. Once they are healthy then you can consider getting some bone grafting orgum grafting done to firm them up...Implants are not a substitute for unhealthy gums

To place a dental implant, you need enough of the right type of bone in the right location. In your case, I think a good first step would be to see an oral surgeon. The surgeon will be able to use x-rays and or a cone beam CT to determine if you are to the point that you need implants and if there is enough bone to place them successfully. Even if you don't have enough bone, a surgeon can explain your options for bone grafting.