Assessing Your Candidacy for Dental Implants
For qualifying patients, dental implants offer a stable and secure base for a range of restorations, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. Many patients who are missing teeth can restore form and function to their smile with an implant-supported restoration.
The best way to find out if you are a candidate for dental implants is to schedule a consultation with our team at Ridgewood Dental Associates. At our Ridgewood, NJ, practice, we can assess your oral health and jawbone density to determine if implant dentistry is the right solution for you.
Good Candidates for Implants
Dental implants act as an excellent tooth replacement option for patients missing one or more teeth. Because treatment involves surgery, patients must be in good oral and overall health to qualify.
In addition, you need a minimum amount of jawbone tissue to successfully anchor the implant. Ideal candidates must have healthy gums and be committed to maintaining a consistent oral health care routine, including regular visits to the dentist.
Potential Concerns
Certain health conditions can significantly impact your chances of success, including:
- Alcohol or substance abuse
- High-dose radiation treatment of the head or neck
- Chronic diseases, such as uncontrolled diabetes, hemophilia, and immune deficiencies
- Grinding or clenching your teeth
- Pregnancy
Taking certain medications, especially those that suppress your immune system, can also disqualify you from treatment with dental implants. Other oral health concerns, such as poor bone density and gum disease, can similarly affect your candidacy for implants.
Poor Bone Density
One of the most common issues faced by patients after tooth loss is jawbone atrophy. When teeth are lost, there are no longer any tooth roots to stimulate the jaw. Consequently, the body redirects necessary nutrients and minerals, such as calcium and phosphorous, to other areas and the jawbone begins to lose density.
We can use our advanced dental implant technologies to assess your jawbone and determine whether an implant-supported restoration is the right treatment for you.
Because dental implants rely on surrounding tissue for support, poor bone density can severely affect the success of your implant-supported restoration. At Ridgewood Dental Associates, we can perform a bone grafting procedure to catalyze new jawbone growth and potentially restore certain patients' candidacy.
Gum Disease
As another essential supportive tissue, the gums can enhance or undermine the success of dental implant treatment. Advanced forms of gum disease can affect not only the gums, but other supportive tissues such as tooth roots and bone, as well. Consequently, untreated periodontal disease can often lead to tooth loss. If you are suffering from gum disease, our team can provide comprehensive treatment for your condition to restore your candidacy for implant placement surgery.
Determining Your Candidacy
During your initial implant consultation, our team will evaluate your medical history, as well as your oral and overall health. We can use our advanced dental implant technologies to assess your jawbone and determine whether an implant-supported restoration is the right treatment for you. We may recommend preparatory procedures, such as a bone graft or periodontal treatment, to restore your oral health before beginning implant treatment.
Create a Stable Foundation for Your New Smile
Dental implants offer unrivaled benefits for replacing lost teeth. If you are interested in learning more about implants or want to schedule an initial implant consultation, contact us online or call (201) 652-2474 today to speak to a member of our staff.
