People who have lost one or more teeth know one thing: it’s not easy to live with a gap in your smile, but dealing with an ill-fitting replacement device often doesn’t feel any better. Fortunately, dental implants provide unsurpassed stability for prosthetic teeth. Are you a candidate for the replacement option? Most patients are — keep reading to learn more about tooth replacement with dental implants in Williamstown from Dr. Kassem.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a tiny titanium cylinder that is surgically placed in the jawbone, where it acts as a prosthetic root for the replacement device (the crown, bridge, or denture) that sits on top. To undergo the procedure, patients should have plenty of existing bone structure and be in adequate oral and overall health.
The following patients may not be good candidates for dental implants.
- Children whose jawbones are not finished forming
- Pregnant women: elective surgeries should be postponed until after pregnancy
- Tobacco users: eligibility may improve after tobacco use is stopped
- People with certain chronic health conditions (see Dental Implants and Your Overall Health below)
- People who severely grind their teeth, the condition known as bruxism
Bone Augmentation Preceding Dental Implants
To fully anchor in the mouth, dental implants need strong, sturdy bone structure. Sometimes teeth have been missing for so long that significant bone loss has already occurred. In these cases, bone augmentation can help a patient become eligible for dental implants. Although it lengthens the total treatment time for dental implants, bone augmentation increases the success of the dental implant procedure for patients who have a weak or disintegrated jaw bone.
A bone graft is a type of bone augmentation that uses bone structure from elsewhere in the body — usually the back of the jaw — to strengthen the bone in the treatment area. A sinus lift adds bone to the upper jaw, between the jaw and the sinuses, when implants are needed in the back of the mouth. Both procedures are common preceding dental implants.
Dental Implants and Your Overall Health
In addition to adequate bone structure, patients should be in good oral and overall health before undergoing the procedure for dental implants. People with advanced cases of gum disease or those with health conditions that impede proper healing following surgical procedures (like advanced cancers, uncontrolled diabetes, and HIV/AIDS) may not be eligible for dental implants.
Learn More About Dental Implants Today
The only way to know for sure whether or not you’re a good candidate for dental implants is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kassem at iSmile Dental Arts! Request your appointment online today.
