Who is an ideal candidate for dental implants (implant dentistry)?

If you are missing multiple teeth, you know just how big a problem that can pose. For one, missing teeth have a negative effect on the appearance of your smile. In addition, a missing tooth or missing teeth can cause you to have a speech impediment of some sort. You may also notice that it is difficult to eat certain foods when you are missing teeth. The teeth that surround the gaps where the missing teeth used to be may also be affected, as they are likely to shift out of position.

One of the ways you can remedy problems associated with missing teeth is dental implants (implant dentistry). This option is an effective way of restoring both the appearance of your smile and the proper function of your teeth. The process involves the surgical placement of titanium screws into your jawbone and gum tissue. After a period of osseointegration (a technical term for the fusion between your living tissue and the implant), the dental implant will be capped with a natural-looking artificial tooth. In addition to an individual tooth replacement, these implants can also be used to anchor dentures and bridgework in place.

Ideal candidates for dental implants will be those who are missing a tooth or multiple teeth or those who have severely damaged teeth that need to be removed. If a tooth is badly decayed or damaged but can still be restored, your dentist may recommend another treatment option that does not involve extraction.

One of the major determining factors of dental implant candidacy will be the amount of existing bone tissue that a patient has. If a patient does not have sufficient jawbone or the structure of the patient’s jawbone is not sufficient to support a dental implant, that patient may have to undergo an additional oral surgery to bolster the structure of the jawbone. If this is not the case, another tooth replacement option will have to be considered.

The best way to find out if you are a good candidate for dental implants is to speak with a cosmetic dentist. To learn more about your tooth replacement options as well as teeth whitening, porcelain dental veneers, dental crowns, Invisalign®, laser dentistry, and sedation dentistry, it is important to visit our Glen Rock, New Jersey cosmetic dentistry office.