Are You a Candidate for Dental Implant?

 

Dental implants top the list of the most popular and effective teeth replacement options. Millions of people get tooth implants every year.

Unlike traditional methods like dentures and bridges, getting the small titanium rod implanted into your jawbone gives longer-lasting, higher-functioning, and better-looking results. Even more important, artificial teeth will restore your smile and rejuvenate your quality of life.

Dental implants are not a viable option for everyone. Fortunately, the advancement of technology has made the procedure suitable for numerous situations.

Are you a candidate for this procedure? Read on to know what is required for successful treatment with dental implants.

You should have excellent bone volume and density

For a successful implant, you need sufficient bone volume and density in the jaw to support the artificial tooth.

Conditions such as osteoporosis can significantly affect the reinforcement of the new tooth, making it vulnerable to fall out when chewing. As such, conducting a bone density test can help you rule out the possibility of any construction problem during and after the implant.

In humans, the jaw bone rebuilds itself through stimulation from the existing teeth since it is a living tissue.

When one tooth falls out, the bone at the place it existed starts to melt away and resorb. The longer you miss a tooth at that spot, the more the surrounding tissue resorbs.

Traditionally, you couldn’t be able to get your tooth replaced after you’ve stayed too long without a tooth since the bone density and volume couldn’t be reverted.
But, due to modern advancements, your dentist may recommend bone grafting to recover the lost volume and bone density.

Alternatively, your dentist can use laboratory-processed materials to artificially stimulate the bone and enable it to regenerate.

During the surgery, the dentist may also need to add grafting material at the base and around the implant to give it the perfect reinforcement it needs to last years.

Your gum and teeth should be in good condition

A healthy gum is a crucial criterion in determining whether you’re a successful candidate for an implant. If you’re battling active gum disease, you cannot have an artificial tooth.

Untreated gum disease can spread around the implant and cause its failure and significant risks of infection.

Talk to your dentist and conduct an oral examination. If you suffer from any type of gum disease, it’s only better to treat it first before thinking about having an implant.

If the effects of the disease are widespread, your dentist may completely nullify your possibility of getting an implant, even after you’ve healed.

Excellent oral hygiene

Keeping an effective implant demands apex-level oral hygiene. The same applies before having an implant.

Your gum and teeth should be in a better shape and state before the surgery to minimize risks of infections during the surgery and failure of the implant afterward.

If your teeth are in a bad condition, with a foul odor to add, getting an in-house expert cleaning should be your priority.

There are some instances when delaying the use of dental implants is the best option. For example, in a child. It is advisable to wait until the child’s jaws are fully grown and developed before using dental implants. Also, patients with osteoporosis and diabetes are not ideal candidates. It is important to first control their underlying medical conditions before proceeding with the procedure.

Bottom Line

The best way to know if you are a candidate for a Dental implant is to make an appointment with your dentist.