Among the many benefits of dental implants is that almost everyone can get them. However, only some are ideal candidates for dental implants. Understanding the factors that can impact your dental implant procedure can help you decide if implants are right for you. It can also help you decide how many implants you want.
The best way to understand if you’re a good candidate is to talk to Woburn & Winchester implant dentist Dr. Ryan Clancy at Divine Smiles. He can evaluate your oral and overall health to help you understand what will affect your dental implants.
Ideal Candidates
Who Can Get Dental Implants?
Almost everyone can get dental implants. To be a candidate for dental implants, you must meet only three criteria. You must be:
- Missing teeth or have teeth that should be removed
- An adult whose jaw has stopped growing
- Healthy enough for surgery
Dental implants are tooth replacements, so you can’t get them if you aren’t missing teeth. We also don’t want to remove healthy teeth to replace them with dental implants. Implants are the best tooth replacement option, but they are not as good as natural teeth. Rarely we might recommend removing healthy teeth if it improves your tooth replacement options.
Dental implants are similar to natural teeth but not identical. This difference matters if your jawbone is still growing, so it’s best to wait until your jaw has matured. Finally, dental implant surgery is relatively minor, but it’s still surgery. We need to make sure you’re healthy enough for the procedure. If we have concerns, we might ask your doctor to sign off on the procedure before we begin.
Stay Informed and Prepared
Factors That Can Impact Your Dental Implant Procedure
If you meet the above criteria, you’re a candidate for dental implants, but other factors can impact your procedure differently. Some factors might require modifications to the procedure. Others might impact your odds of success with dental implants. We’ll describe some of these factors below. This is not an exhaustive list, and Dr. Clancy might bring up other factors after he completes your dental examination.
Sufficient Jawbone Density
Dental implants depend on your bones for support. If you don’t have enough bone or the right type of bone, it can affect your odds of success. Divine Smiles uses i-CAT 3D imaging to assess your bone before starting the dental implant procedure. We might recommend a bone graft if you don’t have enough bone. If your bone is too dense or not dense enough, we might be unable to change that. Instead, we will let you know how this might impact your dental implants so you can make informed decisions.
Healthy Gums
Gum disease is the leading cause of tooth loss among adults–and the leading cause of dental implant failure. We might recommend gum disease treatment before your dental implant procedure if you have unhealthy gums.
Overall Oral Health
Your mouth is a tightly connected system. Oral health problems in other areas of your mouth can affect your implant. In addition, bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding) can affect dental implants. We’ll assess your oral health and recommend treatments that can improve the environment for your dental implants.
Commitment to Oral Hygiene
Just like natural teeth, dental implants require daily hygiene to stay healthy. If you want your implants to last a lifetime, you need to be committed to caring for them, including thorough oral hygiene and making regular dental checkups. If you have a history of poor oral health, we might recommend changes to your hygiene and dental checkup schedule.
General Health and Well-Being
Your overall health can impact your dental implants. Eating a healthy diet with lots of vitamins and minerals to support bone growth helps your implants integrate with your jawbone. Some medications can have a negative effect on dental implants. Osteoporosis drugs can also increase failure rates. The exact risk depends on your type of medication and dosage. Previous radiation therapy for oral cancer can lead to complications. We’ll talk to you and your doctors to determine if it’s best to wait before placing dental implants. Some medical conditions like uncontrolled diabetes and hemophilia can impact your odds of success.
Age
Age does not inherently affect your odds of dental implant success. Studies show older dental implant candidates have the same overall success rate as younger candidates. However, age can affect other risk factors, such as:
- Gum disease
- Bone density
- Ability to perform oral hygiene
- General health
Because of these factors, dental implants might not be right for some older candidates.
Lifestyle Factors
Some lifestyle factors can make it harder for dental implants to integrate with your jawbone. Smoking can significantly increase your risk of dental implant failure. We recommend quitting smoking before getting dental implants or, at least, quitting temporarily to allow your implants to heal properly. Drinking alcohol can also impact your dental implants. You should not drink alcohol a day or two after your implant procedure, and avoid heavy drinking during recovery.
Expert Care
Consult with an Implant Dentist in Woburn & Winchester
Almost everyone can get dental implants, but deciding if implants are right for you might be a more complicated consideration. Sometimes your risks might drive us to change the timing or customize the procedure to improve your odds of success. For example, the All-on-6 implant system helps people with higher risks. The implant denture helps distribute forces, and the implants support each other to reduce the risk of failure. Placing implants also utilizes the areas of your jawbone that are more likely to have enough bone. Woburn & Winchester implant dentist Dr. Ryan Clancy can help you find the right implant solution for your goals and needs. Please call
(781) 396-8558 or use our online form today to request an appointment at Divine Smiles.
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Your Ideal Smile Begins Here
Schedule Your Consultation With Premier Woburn Dentist Dr. Ryan Clancy
Dr. Ryan Clancy and every member of our team are here to help guide you to your healthiest, most confident smile. Take the first step by scheduling a full assessment of your concerns, and begin designing your ideal smile and personalized treatment plan.
