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Who is a Candidate for Dental Implants?
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| • | Preparation: Before a patient can have implants placed, we need their oral structure to be prepared. This may include the removal of unhealthy teeth, gaining control of gum disease, and ensuring that they have enough tissue for placement. For most patients, this will include bone graft surgery. The loss of teeth almost always includes the loss of bone mass in the jaw. We need to bulk up that bone to have sufficient material to hold the implant in place. A bone graft procedure is simple. We may use bone from the patient, use synthetic bone, or use donated bone. We place a tiny bit of bone material at the site to induce new growth. Following the graft, healing or growing of bone can be long. It may take three to six months before sufficient bone is available. |
| • | Ability to Heal: The most common reason a person may be temporarily denied implant surgery is due to the inability to heal appropriately. Healing is vital to the success of the implant. We need the bone to grow up and around the implant to fuse the bone and implant together. There are some medical and environmental reasons that can limit healing. Medical problems such as uncontrolled diabetes, cancer treatment, or medications that can slow healing, can all be reasons to not approve candidacy. Smoking tobacco, marijuana, other inhalants, or large consumption of alcohol can also cause healing to be less effective. All of these reasons can be worked around with time or adjustments with your physician. We are happy to discuss this in further detail specific to you. |
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