Most people have heard of dental implants and know that they are the most effective, secure and cosmetically-desirable way of replacing teeth that have been lost or extracted because of dental problems.
Whilst they are widely available and have an unrivaled success rate, this doesn’t mean that it is the right or best solution for every patient. In order to decide if you are a good candidate for dental implants, you will first need to attend a consultation appointment. The purpose of this is to give your chosen dental implant surgeon the opportunity to complete a comprehensive assessment of your dental health and teeth to see whether dental implants are both suitable and the best options for replacing your missing teeth.
There are primarily four things that will be taken into consideration during your consultation.
Your Dental Health And The Condition Of Your Teeth
Before pressing ahead with dental implants, it is important that any potential dental health problems are addressed. This could include reversing signs of gum disease, placing any necessary fillings or crowns or carrying out root canal treatments. This will help to ensure that your teeth and mouth are as healthy as possible, and you shouldn’t need any restorative work during the process of obtaining implants.
Your Commitment To Your Oral Health
Your dental implant surgeon should be able to tell how committed you are to your oral health by assessing their condition. Whilst some people are definitely unlucky when it comes to oral health, there are plenty of others who experience problems because they don’t follow their dentists’ guidelines when it comes to brushing and flossing their teeth. This puts them at risk of gum disease as well as decay. Since gum disease can pose a significant threat to the success of dental implants, it is essential that you show real commitment to taking proper care of your teeth.
Assessment Of Your Jaw Bone Health
The success of dental implants relies on a process that is called osseointegration. Titanium implant posts are placed into the jaw bone at pre-determined locations. This is done via incisions into the gum tissue. The bone, which is live, then regenerates around the implant post, holding it permanently and securely in place. However, for osseointegration to be possible, patients must have a significant amount of healthy bone in the relevant areas of their jaw bone. Without this, osseointegration and subsequently, the implant will fail. It is possible for patients with insufficient health bone to have dental implants, but first, you will need to have a bone grafting procedure, lengthening the time it will take until your teeth are restored.
Your Medical Health
As with any sort of dental surgery, there is a small element of risk involved with placing dental implants. A reputable and experienced dental implant surgeon will want to make sure that the benefits of the procedure far outweigh the risks, and since certain lifestyle choices can increase the likelihood of complications, you can expect to have a conversation with your implant provider about your medical history and lifestyle that could affect the outcome of your procedure. This will include:
- Whether you are taking any medications
- Whether you have been diagnosed with any medical conditions
- If you are pregnant, trying to conceive or currently breastfeeding
- If you smoke or consume excessive amounts of alcohol
If there are any concerns about your medical health, these may need to be addressed before you can be approved for dental implants.
If you are interested in finding out more about dental implants or if you would like to book an appointment to see if you are a suitable candidate for this procedure, call our offices today where our experienced dental implant team would be happy to answer your questions or schedule you a visit to Southern Minnesota Periodontics & Dental Implants in Mankato, MN 507-412-5969.
