What Makes a Good Dental Implant Candidate?

Today, most dentists recommend dental implants as the best available solution to tooth loss. While these wonderful artificial teeth offer many benefits such as looking just like the real thing, restoring the patient’s chewing ability, and preventing or even reversing bone loss in the jaw, you’ll still need to meet certain criteria to be able to receive them. Here’s a brief overview of what makes for the ideal dental implant candidate.

You Will Need Fair Medical Health

Certain medical conditions can complicate the implant process. One such condition is diabetes, as it increases a patient’s risk for gum disease, makes it harder to fight infections, and can impede the healing process. However, being diabetic does not mean that you can never receive dental implants. You’ll just have to get the condition under control before you can qualify. Similarly, if you have recently suffered a cardiac event like a heart attack or a stroke, your surgery may need to be postponed until a later date.

Your Mouth Will Need to Be Healthy

The success of a dental implant largely depends on the patient’s oral health, and gum disease is one of the leading causes of implant failure. If you have any unresolved gum disease or tooth decay, you’ll need to have it cleared up before receiving implants, and this may involve improving your oral hygiene routine or undergoing restorative dental work.

Dental implants also require patients to have sufficient bone mass in their jaws. This can be especially troublesome for some patients who have gone with missing teeth for a while, as the loss of a tooth causes the jaw to atrophy and recede over time. However, patients with thin jawbones may still be able to receive dental implants after receiving and recovering from bone grafts.

You’ll Need to Commit to Excellent Oral Hygiene

One of the major selling points for dental implants is that, unlike traditional restorations, they only require the same hygiene routine as natural teeth. This means that you’ll still need to brush and floss every day while seeing your dentist for regular exams and cleanings after getting implants, but you won’t have to worry about elaborate soaking routines or buying special cleaning supplies. It’s also important to know that tobacco is absolutely horrible for your oral health and a leading cause of implant failure. It’s best to quit smoking and chewing at least a few weeks before implant surgery.

Dental implants can allow you to enjoy a complete smile with restorations that look and work just like real teeth. After a brief consultation with your dentist, you can know for sure if you can be a candidate for implants.

About the Author

Dr. CJ Stec earned his dental doctorate at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and has completed a great deal of continuing education courses to stay on top of the latest developments in dentistry. He is proud to be a member of the American Dental Association and the Nebraska Dental Association. His office in Grand Island, NE offers general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as dental implant services. If you’d like to schedule a dental implant consultation, contact his office online or dial (308) 382-4440.