Dental implants are a great option for people who are missing teeth, however, this doesn’t mean that everyone is a good candidate for getting them.
For starters, it is critical to have healthy teeth and gums, as well as an adequate amount of bone density that would be able to support the dental implant. If you do not have enough jawbone density, the dental implant may not be able to withstand pressure from chewing.
An alternative for someone who does not have enough jawbone would be to undergo a bone grafting procedure, whereby bone is taken from another part of your body and transplanted into your jaw. Your oral surgeon would be able to tell you if this is a viable and/or necessary option.
If you have certain diseases, such as diabetes (not under control with medication) or some type of autoimmune disease, it could hinder your ability to heal.
If you have gum disease, it would need to be treated and under control before dental implants would even be an option. It goes without saying that treating gum disease needs to be a priority regardless if you need dental implants or not. Left untreated, gum disease can actually lead to tooth loss.
If you smoke, you would need to be willing and able to quit throughout the whole dental implant process. That said, if you were able to quit for a long period of time, it would be a unfortunate to revert back to this bad habit, so this could be a good opportunity to improve your overall health at the same time.
Are you located in Surrey, Delta, Langley, or surrounding cities?
Please direct questions about dental implants and/or find out if you are a suitable candidate, by calling us at New England Oral & Cosmetic Facial Surgery. We will book you for a consultation as soon as possible!
