How does bone remodeling work?

Bone remodeling occurs throughout a person’s lifetime and involves resorption by osteoclasts and replacement by osteoblasts. The process takes place over three phases: 

• Activation of osteoblasts, a type of bone cell
• Resorption, in which osteoclasts digest old and damaged bone
• Bone formation, in which osteoblasts lay down new bone until the resorbed bone is completely replaced

An individual’s entire skeleton is replaced every 10 years.