Am I a Candidate for Dental Implants?

If you have lost one or more teeth, it is crucial that you replace them to protect the overall health of your mouth. Dental implants are the restorations that function most like your natural teeth. They let you eat all the foods you enjoyed before, require no special care, and with good oral hygiene can be essentially permanent (though you may have to replace the crown atop them). Most people can take advantage of this marvel of modern dentistry, but they are not for everyone.

This page contains some basic information about who is a candidate for dental implants, but it cannot tell whether you are a candidate. The best way to learn whether dental implants are right for you is with a consultation. Please call 402-330-6757 or email Premier Dental to schedule a consultation at our Omaha, Nebraska office today.

The Ideal Candidate for Dental Implants

Dental implants are very successful when placed in a good candidate's mouth; they have a success rate of about 98%, according to several studies. However, there are several factors that could increase your risks for implant failure. To be an ideal candidate for dental implants, you should:

• Have adequate bone tissue in the edentulous ("toothless") area
• Have no gum disease
• Have a good bite (no malocclusion)
• Be in good general health
• Be a non-smoker
• Not be taking medications or have conditions that may impact bone healing

Few of these will actually prevent you from getting dental implants, but they may give you extra requirements before you can get your implants. If you have inadequate bone, you may need to get a bone graft before getting a dental implant. Advanced gum disease will have to be treated prior to implant placement as well. Some serious bite issues may have to be corrected.

You will have to quit smoking before your procedure and during recovery. For the stability of your implant, it is recommended that you quit smoking entirely. One study showed that the failure rate of dental implants in heavy smokers was over 30%!

Schedule a Consultation Today

As with many dental problems, the effects of a missing tooth on your mouth are progressive: they get worse with time. The gum and bones in the area of your missing tooth atrophy, and your teeth drift, causing worsening bite issues. You may be a candidate for dental implants today, but may not be if you wait weeks or months to be evaluated. And if you are trying to decide between a root canal and extraction with replacement using a dental implant, it is important that you act soon to stop the progression of your tooth infection.

This is a problem that deserves immediate attention. For more information on implant dentistry, please contact our Omaha implant dentist today to schedule a consultation.  Proudly serving Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska patients.