Dental implants are beautiful and durable, which makes them one of the most in-demand methods of replacing lost teeth. They offer unparalleled bite strength and incredible longevity, making them an excellent way of dealing with a missing tooth.
However, the success of your dental implants is heavily dependent on the state of your oral health. If you’re dealing with any of these problems, here’s how they could affect your eventual restoration.
Gum Disease
Gum disease is unfortunately an incredibly common condition, and if it becomes serious it can require you to remove teeth that become infected. You might want to replace such a tooth with a dental implant, but if your gum disease remains untreated it may cause problems for your restoration. The buildup of bacteria along the gums could potentially lead to an infection once your dental implant is in place, one that could become difficult to treat if it’s allowed to progress. For that reason, it’s important that you treat and manage your gum disease before having your tooth replaced.
Bone Degradation
The body is incredibly efficient at distributing its resources, but in some situations this isn’t necessarily a good thing. This is the case when it comes to tooth loss.
When a tooth falls out, the part of the jaw that once held it in place is no longer being used and therefore draws in fewer of the body’s nutrients. Over time, this can cause the jaw to shrink.
If this has happened to you, you may need a bone graft or sinus lift in order to ensure that your dental implants need a stable foundation.
Other Health Conditions
One of the most important parts of the entire dental implant process is aftercare. If your healing factor has been compromised by cancer, diabetes, or another health condition, this could have substantial impacts on the long-term success of your dental implant. In such cases, your dentist will likely collaborate with your primary physician to ensure that your health is in good enough condition for dental implant surgery to be advisable.
While none of these conditions disqualify you from getting dental implants, they may require some additional treatment before having your implant placed. For that reason, it’s important that you thoroughly discuss your medical history with your dentist before pursuing this (or any other) procedure.
About the Author
Dr. H. Hailey Ahn has always wanted a career where she could help people, and whether she’s informing patients about their oral health or providing them with beautiful dental implants, she’s proud to be able to do that as a dentist. Dr. Ahn received her degree from the Texas A&M (Baylor) College of Dentistry and completed her General Practice Residency at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. She is a proud member of the Academy of General Dentistry.
If you have any questions about dental implants, she can be reached at her website or by phone at (972) 727-4415.
