How To Be A Good Candidate For Dental Implants
Are you considering dental implants to replace one or more missing teeth? If so, then it's important that you take steps in advance to help ensure the procedure is a successful one. Dental implants are nearly indistinguishable from your natural teeth, in both appearance and use. Generally, implant surgeries have a high success rate, but this is in part because dentists take the patient's ability to heal from the procedure very seriously. Many dentists won't even entertain the option for patients that would be at a high risk of implant failure. The following tips can help lower your risks so that you are a good candidate for dental implants.
Stop tobacco use
Tobacco usage is one of the higher risk behaviors for implants that you also have control over. Nicotine, whether you smoke, chew, or take it in via a patch or other aid, slows circulation. This slowing of circulation is especially bad in the mouth for those that use oral tobacco products. When blood doesn't circulate well, healing is impacted. This means smokers are more likely to suffer from infection, slow healing, and implant failure when compared to non-smokers. By quitting tobacco use well in advance of your implant surgery, you can increase your chances of healing quickly from a successful implant procedure.
Manage health conditions
Many diseases and health conditions can affect healing and immune response. Some of the more common conditions that can have a direct impact on whether you make a good implant candidate are diabetes and thyroid conditions, for example. When properly managed, those with these conditions generally heal well and are less prone to problems compared to those with poor management of their condition. If you suffer from anything that impact healing, make sure to keep up with all medications and treatments. Work with your medical doctor to properly manage the condition. You are only a good implant candidate if you have other health conditions under control.
Improve your dental hygiene
Although implants can't get cavities, they can fail due to gum disease and bone loss. You need to first have all other oral health issues completely addressed before considering implants. This means having any repair work performed on the teeth you do have, as well as periodontal treatments to overcome gum disease if it is present. You will also need to have your jaw bone density checked and arrange for bone or gum grafting if you have suffered loss of either. Finally, get in the habit of regular brushing and flossing. Implants will fail if you have poor dental hygiene habits, as gum disease is the main threat to an implant once it is placed.
Contact a dentist for more information.
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