Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?

You need to consider a few things before committing to a tooth replacement. These could be about issues that might interfere with the restoration of your smile. You need to find an experienced implant dentist to help you rule out several of these issues. This should clear the way forward to the restoration of your smile.


Here are some essential factors to consider before deciding to have dental implants.

Do I Qualify for Dental Implants?

A dentist might have already told you that you do not qualify for dental implants. However, dental implant techniques have grown in the past few years. If you did not qualify for dental implant surgery a few years ago, you might find that you do today.

Equipment and technology available might have ruled you out for candidacy. It could have been that the resources available were not fit for the procedure. Today, you will find a novel dental implant technology that allows for more outstanding planning.

Dentists are also more experienced in dental implant surgery. It is now available to more people than it previously was. You will also find a wider set of alternatives for implants that you can consider.

Overall Health

Still, some health conditions and specific risk factors might affect your candidacy for implants. One significant risk factor is smoking. Smoking affects the healing processes of the mouth, which are essential for implant surgery.

Are you under prescription for blood thinners? Do you have diabetes? These are factors for consideration during a screening. They can affect the success of implant therapy.

Enough Gum and Bone Support

Dental implants need a stable foundation to set in for them to work correctly. There is no foundation for the implants to hold their place when there is not enough gum tissue or bone density.

The dentist will take specific scans and X-rays of your mouth to allow them to get a more detailed image of the structures. This will help them determine whether you need advanced implant techniques such as grafting. Grafting is an option for people who have had bone loss from something like periodontal disease.

Implant Candidacy Is Expanded by Digital Mapping

Dentists can use CT scanning to get a 3D image of your mouth. This allows them to perform a computer-guided surgery before the actual surgery. It helps them gauge the success of the surgery beforehand. Virtual planning offers possibilities for surgery that were not available in traditional methods.

Do You Have Missing Teeth?

When it comes to replacing missing teeth, dental implants are the best option. It would be best to consider other options other than dental implants when you have worn-out teeth because it is better to maintain your natural teeth.

If you have missing teeth, you halfway qualify for dental implants. Also, if you have some teeth ravaged by periodontal disease, you can have them removed and replaced by implants.

For more on candidacy for dental implants, call Fei Hwang, D.D.S., Milpitas Family and Cosmetic Dentist at (408) 729-7882 to reach our office in Milpitas, California.