Are Dental Implants Right for You?Merritt Island, FL
At Florida Prosthodontics, we offer dental implants as a treatment for replacing your missing teeth. This versatile treatment uses small titanium posts, which we surgically implant into your jawbone, to support your replacement teeth. Implants can replace a single tooth, or they can be used for a full-arch replacement. To undergo dental implant surgery, we first need to determine if you are a good candidate.
Are You Missing Teeth?
Dental implants are made to replace teeth. The titanium posts replace the roots while the ceramic crowns replace the visible surfaces. Dental implants are a versatile treatment that can be used to replace any number of missing teeth, whether you are missing a single tooth or you are missing a full arch. There are a variety of dental implants to meet a variety of needs.
How Old Are You?
You are never too old to enjoy the incredible benefits that dental implants have to offer. Many older patients think that they are not candidates, but if you meet all of the other requirements, it does not matter how old you are.
It is possible, however, to be too young. The jaw does not stop growing and developing until you reach your late teens to early 20s. Placing a dental implant in an underdeveloped jaw can cause developmental issues. If your child or teen has lost a permanent tooth, another type of replacement will need to be considered. Once their jaw has stopped growing, then a dental implant can be discussed.
Do You Have Any Health Conditions?
To undergo dental implant surgery, you need to be in good health. Poor health can significantly increase your risk of developing issues both during and after the procedure. If you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease, it is important that your condition is well under control to be considered a candidate. Even if you are generally in good health, but you start to feel symptoms of a cold, get a fever, or begin to feel ill before the day of your surgery, it is important to call the office. We may need to reschedule.
Are You a Smoker?
Smoking, or using other types of tobacco products, can cause many significant health complications. These habits can also slow the ability of your body to heal. Smoking limits the amount of oxygen and slows your blood flow, slowing the delivery of essential nutrients to your gums and jawbone. When your healing is slowed, your risk of developing an infection drastically increases. Smoking can also cause dry socket, a condition in which the blood clots at the surgical sites become dislodged. Infections can sometimes even lead to implant failure. If you want dental implants, but you use tobacco products, it is highly recommended that you quit. At the very least, you will need to be able to abstain from using tobacco products until after you have fully healed.
How Long Have You Been Missing Teeth?
Tooth loss has many significant impacts on your life. One of these effects is a bone loss in your jaw. Without the stimulation from your teeth, the bone begins to resorb and weaken, losing height, width, and mass. The longer you go without replacing your teeth with dental implants, the more bone mass is lost. Without sufficient bone mass in your jaw, the implants cannot properly integrate, which can lead to implant failure. If you are missing too much bone mass, dental implants are still possible. You may have to undergo a bone graft first.
If you are interested in learning more about dental implants and finding out if treatment is right for you, call Florida Prosthodontics today at (321) 452-3388 to schedule your consultation.
Merritt Island