Are you looking to replace your missing teeth? They can affect you every day by making you feel self-conscious about your smile or making it a little harder to eat your favorite foods. A reliable solution to this issue is dental implants. They can last a lifetime with the proper care, but you have to be a good candidate first. Continue reading to learn about three factors that affect your eligibility.
1.) Follow a Healthy Lifestyle
In order to have a successful treatment, you have to keep your mouth healthy and free of plaque. The bacteria in it can cause trouble by attacking the supporting structures of the implant post. This can lead to gum disease, which can make the tooth replacement option fail by causing it to be unstable.
Additionally, you would want to break bad habits like using tobacco. If you smoke or chew it, then you increase your chances of bone loss and slow down how fast you heal, potentially making the dental implant wobbly.
2.) Keep Up with Your Overall Health
There are many systemic health conditions that come into play when considering this restorative treatment. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are a few that can cause some issues when they are not maintained. Before you rule out dental implants if you have these conditions, it’s still possible to get them! You just need to ensure they are well-managed to avoid any complications.
3.) You Have Enough Jawbone Density
The reason that dental implants are durable compared to other tooth replacement options is that they are placed and fused to your jawbone. This acts like a natural tooth root, helping give you back a majority of your original bite force while preventing bone loss that’s associated with missing teeth.
That being said, your jawbone has to be a strong foundation to support the implant post. If not, then placing it will be risky, potentially causing the treatment to fail. You don’t have to give up if your jaw is weaker at first, as your dentist can help make you a good candidate! They may offer a bone graft, in which your provider will place bone tissue into the areas that need it, effectively reinforcing your jawbone.
If you are missing all your teeth on a dental arch and you don’t have enough density in your jaw, then you may still be eligible for all-on-4 implants. This treatment places the implant posts in naturally thick areas of your jaw, so if you don’t qualify for regular implants, then you might have this as an option instead.
When you are looking at this tooth replacement option, the best way to know if they are right for you is during a consultation with an oral surgeon. They will take a look at your mouth and do an X-ray to see if you have the foundation to get results that last for decades to come. If you aren’t a good candidate immediately, don’t worry, as your provider will help you take the steps to get closer to your goal of a full smile.
About the Practice
At Northern Virginia Oral, Maxillofacial, & Implant Surgery, you benefit from a team of board-certified oral surgeons. We know how many people are affected by their missing teeth, so we offer dental implants to help give you a full set once again.
By choosing us, you can trust that we will do the best for you and your oral health, making sure you get results that you love. If you want to fill gaps in your smile, schedule an appointment or call us at any of our four conveniently located offices.