Making the choice for dental implants is just the first part of the journey. There’s one that comes first between choosing implants and undergoing implant surgery, and that’s learning if you even qualify for implants. The best way to go about this is to consult with Dr. Taler in Fishers, IN. At Advanced Family Dentistry, we take the time to see if it’s safe for you to undergo surgery, and if you need any supplementary treatments prior to that.
Picture of An Ideal Candidate
The best candidates have these traits in common:
- Good Oral Health: It’s important that patients have mouths that are ready for dental implants, and this means no rampant tooth decay or gum disease. These conditions can potentially prevent your dental implant from fully healing, so it’s important to clean it up beforehand.
- An Understanding of the Process: Dental implants are not a quick-fix solution; they require a few months of waiting to let osseointegration take place, and more for healing. However, while this may take awhile, patients have always told us about how their implants were well worth the wait.
- One or More Missing Teeth: This may go without saying, but we don’t condone pulling perfectly healthy teeth to replace them with implants. Dental implants are best for patients who need them, so if you’re missing one or more teeth (or are at risk for losing teeth) then give us a call!
- Sufficient Jawbone and Gum Tissue: Jawbone and gum tissue are both needed for dental implant support, so lacking in either of these can put your implant at risk. You may even need a supplemental procedure to help improve your chances for good support.
Candidates Who May Have Trouble with Implants
Aside from the traits listed above, there are times when a patient may need to wait or break some bad habits before they can get implants. Here are some traits of less preferred candidates; even if you fall under one of these, this does not mean that you’re disqualified from dental implants:
- Pregnancy: If you’re currently pregnant or may become pregnant, it’s not advised that you undergo any form of dental surgery. Please let us know about your pregnancy, and, if you’re still interested in dental implants, we’ll be happy to schedule you for a time after your baby is born to discuss the procedure.
- Smoking and Heavy Alcohol Consumption: In addition to causing dry mouth conditions, smoking and alcohol use can also slow the blood flow to the healing area. This is a dangerous combination that can put your implant at risk.
- Compromising Medical Conditions: Bodily conditions such as hemophilia, diabetes, immunodeficiency disorders and more, can make surgery a dangerous risk for the patient’s health. Consult with your physician to see if you are healthy enough for implant surgery.
- Age: It’s generally not advised for children and young teens to receive dental implants. Their bodies are still in development, so a dental implant could harm their jawbone growth. If your child has lost a permanent tooth, contact their pediatric dentist, or give us a call to discuss possible options.
- Teeth Grinding (Bruxism): Grinding your teeth at night can already wreak havoc on your natural teeth, so imagine what could happen if you try to grind your implant. Before you get an implant, talk to Dr. Taler about making a nightguard to protect your teeth at night.
What You Can Do to Improve Your Candidacy
If you do happen to fall into one of the categories above, this does not mean that you are banned from getting dental implants. Instead, it may simply mean that some steps need to be taken to better prepare you for the procedure.
- Better Oral Care: Sometimes it’s as simple as changing the way you clean your teeth. If you’ve been brushing with the wrong type of brush, flossing the wrong way, or don’t wear your dental devices right, change your ways and you may seem some improvement that bodes well for implants.
- Break Some Bad Habits: As we said above, habits like smoking or heavy alcohol use can make it risky for dental implants to heal properly. If you can break these bad habits, it can give your dental implant the best chance at success.
- Supplemental Treatments: If you have insufficient jawbone or gum tissue, we have optional procedures that can fix that. Let us help you find a procedure that can improve the volume of your jawbone or restore your gum tissue to health.
- Time: If you’re too young for implants, are pregnant, or have recently undergone another surgery, all it takes is a little time to wait before your can qualify for implants. Let us know about your situation so we can help plot out a timeline for implants that works for you.
Contact Us Today
Don’t wait when it comes to fixing your smile! Missing teeth can lead to all sorts of problems, so let us help you in Fishers, IN with dental implants through Dr. David Taler. We’re just a phone call away, so you can contact us to schedule a consultation.
