Understanding Root Canal Procedures

Are You A Good Candidate For Dental Implants?

5 February 2015

Diane Mason

Dental implants let people who have to have teeth pulled, or who are already missing teeth, a chance to have a full set of teeth again. The implant consists of a post that is installed in the empty tooth socket. Then something like a crown or denture can be anchored to the post. But not everyone is a good candidate for getting dental implants. How can you tell if you are a good candidate?

Non-smoker

Smoking doesn't necessarily disqualify you from getting dental implants. However, if you are a smoker, the odds of the implant not healing correctly is raised. If you want to have the best results and you are a smoker, you may want to stop smoking to give yourself a chance. 

Bone Density

The higher your bone density in your jaw, the better off you are. That's because the post for the implant goes into the socket that the tooth's root was in. That socket is in your jaw. The bone in your jaw will need to grow around the implant so that it will be anchored in place. Bones that have less density are more prone to breakage and won't heal as well. That means that it can be harder for your jaw to bond to the implant. 

Healthy Gums

Not only do you need to have good bone density to make sure that the implant stays anchored, but also you need to have healthy gums. Many Americans have some form of gingivitis, which means that you need to make sure that you take care of that if you are one of those people. Your dentist can help you treat your gingivitis. However, if you have severe gum disease, that makes you a bad candidate. 

Overall Health

The better your general health is, the better off you are. There are some diseases that can cause problems. One of those is diabetes. Diabetics can already have problems with their teeth. Diabetics can also have problems with slower healing. Both of those things can make it hard for an implant to heal correctly. Having to remove an implant that isn't healing correctly can cause you more trauma to your jaw, which can cause you pain and make your mouth heal much slower. 

If you need to have your teeth removed, or you are already missing teeth, you may consider getting dental implants as a way to replace those teeth. You will need to talk to your dentist to make sure that you are a good candidate and to ask about dental implant costs. 

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