What makes a good candidate for a dental implant?
Most of it comes down to four things, and none of them can be judged over the phone:
- Enough bone where the implant would go, clear of the nerve in the lower jaw and the sinus above the upper back teeth.
- Healthy gums, or gum disease that has been treated and brought under control first.
- General health that allows minor surgery under local anesthetic, and good healing afterward.
- A willingness to look after it, with daily cleaning and regular check-ups for as long as you have it.
Do you have enough bone for an implant?
An implant needs bone around it to hold it, the way a root did. Once a tooth is gone, that bone begins to shrink, because nothing is loading it anymore. So a gap that has been there for years may have less to work with than one from last month.
Where the bone sits matters too. A nerve runs through the lower jaw, and the sinus sits above the upper back teeth, which is why the bone, the nerve and the sinus are all checked before anything is placed.
If there is not enough bone, that is far better known now than discovered later. What can be done depends on how much is missing and where, and it is discussed at the planning stage: whether an implant is still possible, whether a specialist should be involved, or whether a bridge or a partial denture would serve you better.
Why healthy gums come first
Gum disease is the process that loosens teeth, and it loosens implants the same way. Bacteria below the gum line inflame the gum and wear away the bone underneath, and bone is what holds an implant in. So if your gums bleed or pockets have formed, gum disease treatment comes first, and the implant is planned once they have settled.
It does not stop once the implant is in. The gum around an implant can lose bone much as it can around a natural tooth, so the daily cleaning and the check-ups carry on. Looking after your implant explains what that involves.
Health conditions and medicines that matter
We ask about your general health and every medicine you take, because some affect healing or how implant surgery is planned. Some need only a conversation, some change the plan, and now and then the right first step is a word with your physician. Tell us about any of these:
- Diabetes, and how well it is controlled, because it affects healing.
- Bone-strengthening medicines, including those taken for osteoporosis, and blood thinners.
- Radiation treatment to the head or neck, now or in the past.
- Any condition or medicine that affects your immune system or slows healing.
Does smoking affect dental implants?
Yes. Smoking lowers the success rate of implants, and it slows healing after any surgery in the mouth. It does not rule an implant out for every smoker, but it is something we will tell you plainly, before you decide rather than after.
If you have been meaning to cut down or stop, an implant is a good reason to do it now, and your physician can help with that.
Age, grinding and other things people ask
Age on its own rarely decides it. An older adult in good general health, with enough bone and healthy gums, can be a better candidate than a younger person who smokes and has gum disease.
At the other end, implants are placed once the jaw has finished growing, so they are for adults rather than children and younger teenagers.
If you clench or grind your teeth, tell us. It puts heavy force on an implant and the crown on top, and it changes what we recommend.
When an implant is not the answer
Sometimes the honest answer is something else. If your health makes even minor surgery unwise, the bone will not support an implant, or the cost would mean putting off treatment you need now, a bridge or a well-made denture may serve you better, and we would rather tell you that than sell you the more expensive option. Implants vs dentures compares the two.
Often the answer is not yet rather than no: gums to treat first, a health condition to bring under control, or a decision about smoking. If the surgery itself worries you, it is done under local anesthetic here on Tazewell Street, and you can ask about nitrous oxide or oral sedation.
Questions patients ask
Am I too old for a dental implant?
Age on its own rarely decides it. Your general health, the bone where the implant would go and the health of your gums matter far more, which is why all three are checked before anything is planned.
Can I get an implant if I have diabetes?
Diabetes does not rule an implant out by itself, but how well it is controlled matters, because it affects healing. Tell us how yours is managed and what medicines you take, and we will talk through what it means for you.
What if I do not have enough bone for an implant?
That is discussed at the planning stage. What can be done depends on how much bone is missing and where, and sometimes a bridge or a denture is the better answer. You will know where you stand before anything is scheduled.
Is having an implant placed a big operation?
It is minor surgery, done here in the office under local anesthetic. Most people say the day after feels like having a tooth pulled. The bone then takes several months to fuse to the post before the tooth goes on.