After losing a natural tooth, dentists often recommend restoring it with a prosthetic tooth right away. When there’s an empty space in your mouth, the surrounding teeth will start to shift toward it, causing misalignments. By getting dental implants in Walnut Creek right away, you can maintain your straighter smile, eat and speak easily, and protect your jawbone health for years to come.
Sadly, not everyone can get dental implants. Besides good oral health, patients should ask themselves certain questions to determine whether they’re good candidates for implant dentistry.
Key Questions to Determine if You’re a Good Candidate for Dental Implants
1. Do I Have Good Oral and Overall Health?
Good candidates should be in generally good health since implant surgery requires healing and integration with bone. Issues like cavities or active periodontal disease must be addressed before exploring dental implants, as gum disease can cause infection in the healing site and lead to implant failure.
If unsure, your dentist can assess your health through a detailed examination!
2. Do I Have Enough Jawbone to Support an Implant?
During implant surgery, titanium posts, the root-like bottom part of the implant, are inserted into your jawbone. Titanium is a biocompatible material, which means it can integrate with your bone, achieving a solid base.
For that reason, a strong, healthy jawbone is key to holding the implant securely. If you’ve had missing teeth for a long time, you may have bone loss, requiring a bone graft before implant placement.
3. Am I a Non-Smoker or Willing to Quit?
Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for implant placement, so it’s mandatory to avoid this practice as the implant heals. Smoking reduces blood flow, slowing the body’s natural healing process. Additionally, it allows harmful substances like nicotine to enter the wound, increasing the chances of infection.
Even once your implant has healed, smoking increases plaque buildup, so implant surgeons recommend quitting this harmful habit for good!
4. Do I Have Any Chronic Conditions That Could Affect Healing?
Conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, autoimmune disorders, or blood clotting issues can impair healing and increase risk.
While none of these conditions make implants impossible, it’s important to discuss them with your dentist and primary healthcare provider to ensure your safety throughout the process!
5. Am I Committed to Good Oral Hygiene and Follow-Up Care?
Implants don’t develop cavities, but plaque buildup can cause periodontitis in the surrounding gum tissue. For that reason, implants require ongoing care just like natural teeth: brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits.
Committing to long-term oral health and following up with regular dental exams and cleanings is crucial for the long-term durability of your implant restoration!
Make Dental Implants in Walnut Creek a Possibility for You
Dental implants are a unique dental restoration. By imitating the structure of a natural tooth, they stimulate the jawbone, keeping it healthy and preventing bone resorption that eventually leads to tooth loss.
While candidates for dental implants must enjoy good health, there are steps we can explore alongside you at Coliseum Dental Concord that will make this treatment a possibility. If you’d like to learn more, contact us today!
