Patients with tooth loss will need restorative dental work to get their smiles looking and feeling their best again. They can find the most benefits with long-lasting dental implants.
These fixtures offer more advantages and dental preservation than their removable counterparts. But not every patient will qualify or benefit from implant dentistry. Schedule a consultation to find the best treatment for your unique smile. In the meantime, you can read on to find three characteristics in dental patients that improve their eligibility for tooth replacement with implants.
3 Ideal Qualities for Implant Dentistry Candidates
Seeking Permanent Prosthetic Teeth
If you want to replace missing teeth, you can feel overwhelmed with the number of treatments available. Whether you want to treat one, several, or an entire arch of lost teeth, your dentist can assist you in restoring your smile.
Dental implants utilize surgically placed anchors to hold prosthetic teeth into place. Because of the nature of this appliance support, they are considered to be permanent tooth replacements.
This offers many advantages for patients. The implants will require little separate maintenance aside from your usual oral hygiene routine. Patients will feel confident that their devices will not slip out of place at inopportune moments.
But some patients prefer a removable tooth replacement option like dentures. They can take the appliance out of their mouth when not needed, like during sleep. This can feel more comfortable for many people. Confer with your dentist to find the best treatment for your unique needs.
Possessing Stable and Healthy Jawbone
When giving a patient dental implants, dentists must insert titanium post anchors into the jaw through oral surgery. As they heal, the anchors fuse to the jawbone, providing sturdy support.
Therefore, a patient must have a stable amount of bone in the jaw in order to receive these implants. Tooth loss may lead the jawbone to deteriorate. If too much bone has already been lost, you may not be able to receive an implant.
Your dentist can evaluate your jawbone health using x-ray imaging taken during a consultation. If you seek more stability in your jaw, ask your dentist if you can get a bone graft procedure.
Exhibiting Commitment to the Implant Dentistry Process
As noted, implant dentistry is a multi-step process. You will likely need to attend three or more visits with your dentist before you can complete this tooth replacement treatment.
You will need to consult with your dentist first and then undergo surgery to receive your anchors. When these heal, which may take a few months, you can return to your dentist to have permanent prosthetics attached to these anchors.
During this period, the ideal patient will need to show patience throughout the process, focusing on the end results. This will help them remain confident each step of the way. With proper care, dental implants will last for twenty or more years, enhancing and restoring a patient’s smile.