Am I A Good Candidate For Dental Implants?
You could be a good candidate for dental implant surgery. Dental implants can be the ideal solution to restoring you to full dental health. Our goal at Vero Implants & Periodontics is to help all of our patients keep their teeth healthy for life. However, tooth loss can occur through accident, decay, chronic periodontal disease and, according to this WebMD article, a host of other factors.
Missing teeth can be the cause of many problems. They can promote gum recession and jawbone shrinkage. Also, surrounding teeth can be undermined on each side of the tooth loss, thereby causing risk to adjacent teeth. Those risks include dangerous plaque buildup and tooth decay.
Also, problems with chewing can result in associated nutritional complications. When you don’t chew your food completely, digestive problems can result.
The Tooth Replacement Option of Bridges or Dentures:
A dental bridge covers the gap between missing teeth. The dentist grinds the surface of teeth on either side of the gap. The next step is to place a porcelain cap to “bridge” the space. Dental bridges are not the optimum solution but are a cost effective method. They can fail when the filed-down supporting teeth are eroded through bone loss or decay and need replaced after several years.
Dentures (both partial and full) can cause problems for many patients. They can be particularly uncomfortable and can slip while talking or eating. Dentures also contribute to eventual bone loss in the jaw.
Dental Implants Stabilize Dentures
A dental implant is a stronger, more stable alternative for tooth replacement. Metal screw-like posts become the new root of the tooth and provide a solid support for the dentures. The process can take 4-6 weeks to allow the implant to settle in; however, in most cases the implant lasts a lifetime.
A good candidate for implant surgery:
- generally in good health
- have healthy gum tissues free from periodontal disease
- have adequate bone mass in your jaw to support the implant
So, if you are healthy enough to undergo a routine tooth extraction or dental surgery, you are a good candidate for a dental implant. Nevertheless, implant surgery is a radical procedure. Titanium implants are inserted into the patient’s jaw bone. The implants eventually fuse with the jawbone in a process called osseointegration.
Implant supported restorations function, feel, and look like natural teeth, and they are permanent. According to the American Dental Association, dental implants have a success rate of up to 98%. In fact, with proper care, implants can last a lifetime.
All on Four is for Total Tooth Replacement
The most radical dental implant is the “all on four” procedure. That is where an entire set of upper or lower teeth is replaced with a dental prosthesis anchored to implanted posts.
The term “all-on-four” refers to the four denture implants that support an entire set of upper or lower dentures. If you have lost, or are in danger of losing all your teeth through chronic disease, you are a prime candidate for all-on-four implant surgery.
Bone restoration may be needed
Prior to the surgery session, following x-rays and a consulting session, you may require some bone restoration. As mentioned above, that restoration is required so the implants can be seated in a firm foundation. However, the process will delay the actual implant surgery until your dentist is satisfied you are ready for the implant procedure.
On the day of surgery, plan to spend much of the day in the implant center. The surgical procedure, while radical, is painless. After strong sedation, you will awaken with newly grafted implant posts, ready for your implant dentures.
Most patients suffer only mild discomfort and control the swelling with over-the-counter pain medication like Tylenol. With the new anchored dentures, you can begin to enjoy a normal diet, free from the former aches and pains of missing teeth and gum disease.
The care and maintenance of your new implants are a combination of two protocols. First what you do at home, and, second, regularly scheduled visits to your Vero Implants & Periodontics office in either our Vero Beach or Melbourne, FL. locations.
Contact Vero Implants & Periodontics
Your cleaning regiment should include an electric toothbrush and water pick. Using super floss with a dental floss threader to clean between the gum surface and the prosthetic will control the spread of plaque until your next scheduled cleaning at Vero Implants & Periodontics. Contact our experts today.