Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants

If you are missing one or more teeth, it's important to consider replacement solutions. Missing teeth will not only affect your smile and confidence but your oral health too. Over time, your remaining teeth will start shifting, causing misalignments. And, the lack of jaw stimulation can lead to skin sagging, changes in facial appearance, and even TMJ disorders. 

Luckily, you have quite a few tooth replacement options to choose from nowadays. But, if you are considering dental implants, then you may be disappointed to learn that not everyone can get them. 

Here's what it takes to be a good candidate for dental implants. 
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You Need Healthy Gums

Healthy gums are one of the main criteria for dental implants. That's because the implant will need healthy and strong tissue to provide it with the necessary support. Without it, your implant is more likely to fail. 

Ironically enough, periodontitis is one of the main causes of tooth loss in adults. The good news is that your dentist will probably be able to get your gum disease under control so you can get dental implant treatment. Depending on the severity of your gum disease, they may be able to treat it with a deep cleaning to remove the plaque and tartar from under your gums or with the help of gum grafting. 
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You Need Enough Bone Mass

The implant will be inserted into your jawbone, so you need a healthy and strong bone for the treatment to be successful. However, you can still benefit from dental implant treatment even if you suffered bone loss. 

A bone graft is a procedure that uses transplanted bone tissue to repair and rebuild your damaged jawbone. The dentist can use bone tissue from other parts of your body or a bone tissue bank. Of course, this procedure will lengthen the duration of your treatment as you will have to wait for a few months for the graft to heal and fuse with the surrounding tissue. But, once you have the necessary support for an implant, you can proceed with the treatment. 
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Good General Health 

Getting an implant means that you will be under anesthesia so that the dentist can insert the metal post into the jaw bone. Your dentist will check your medical records and history to make sure that you are in good general health before they can begin the treatment. 
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Are You A Good Candidate for Dental Implants? 

If you are considering dental implants, but aren't sure if you meet all the criteria, then the team at West Allen Dental can help you find out the answer. And, don't worry. Even if we do find some issues, we will be able to treat them so that you can enjoy a healthy and beautiful smile again. 

To learn more about our dental implant treatment, don't hesitate to get in touch with us.