Will Your Dentist Approve You For Dental Implants?

Posted on: 19 October 2017

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Dental implants are one of the methods that your dentist might recommend to replace missing teeth. Before going forward with the procedure, your dentist will need to assess you to determine if you are a good candidate for it. If so, he or she will move to the next step in the process. To help you understand the implant procedure, here is what you need to know:

What Makes You a Good Candidate?

A dental implant is not for everyone. There are some people who do not meet the medical and dental requirements. In those instances, the dentist will recommend another method to replace missing teeth.

One of the first requirements to be considered for implants is the health of your gums. The abutments for the implants are inserted into your jawbone and the gums need to be healthy enough to heal before the dentist proceeds to the next step. If you have a gum infection, the implants could fail in the early stages and recovery could take even longer.

Another requirement is that you need good bone density. If the bone is not enough to provide the support needed for the abutment, the implant will not last.

Your habits can also determine if you meet the requirements for being a good candidate. For instance, if you smoke, your dentist could refuse to perform the procedure. Smoking tends to narrow your blood vessels and nutrients that your gums would need to heal would be greatly reduced. Recovery could take longer than the expected.

There are other factors that could influence whether you are a good candidate, including if you have a chronic condition, such as diabetes, and if you take good care of your oral health.

What Can You Do?

If the dentist does not believe you are a good candidate, find out the exact reason why. In some instances, there could be options to help make you a good candidate.

For instance, if you do not have good bone density, you can have a bone graft performed. The dentist could use a synthetic bone or bone from another area of your body to improve your jawbone.

If you have a gum infection, the dentist could treat it. He or she will also educate you on the best ways to avoid gum infection in the future.

The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for dental implants is to have a consultation with a dentist.