Dental Implants: Qualifications For Restoring Missing Teeth With Titanium Implants
Implant dentistry is the use of titanium rods to secure crowns permanently into your mouth, creating natural-looking teeth where teeth are missing. Although many people can benefit from this technological advance in dentistry, not everyone is a viable candidate for this type of restorative dentistry.
Your Age Matters When Discussing Dental Implants
Children and teenagers who have not stopped growing are not good candidates for dental implants. The implant is permanent, and putting a titanium implant into a growing jawbone isn't going to be successful over the long haul. You can be considered for a permanent dental implant once you are out of your teenage years.
Dental Implants are Not Recommended During Pregnancy
Implants require X-rays, the use of antibiotics, and anesthesia, all of which are not recommended while you are pregnant. While it is argued that dental implants are reasonably safe after the first trimester of pregnancy, most doctors suggest waiting until the baby is born to undergo any surgery that isn't necessary.
Smokers Should Not Get Dental Implants
Smoking can cause dental implants to fail for a number of reasons. Smoking causes overall poor health, and the physical act of smoking causes the gums surrounding the dental implant to bleed more easily. Smoking makes healing more difficult, and nicotine disturbs your blood flow throughout your body. If the open wound comes in contact with cigarette smoke, the implant will fail. Many dentists won't treat patients who smoke with dental implants because of how unsuccessful the treatment is for smokers.
Diabetes with Uncontrolled Blood Sugar Levels Should Not Get Dental Implants
Being chronically ill with blood sugar levels that are out of control will make you a bad candidate for dental implants. While it is possible for patients with diabetes to successfully receive dental implants, those with blood sugar levels that are not stable will not heal effectively. Many diabetics with poor control over their disease suffer from gum disease, another concern when considering dental implants. If blood sugar levels are under control and the patient with diabetes is otherwise in good health, dental implants can be used to replace missing teeth.
Other chronic illnesses can limit the use of dental implants in patients. Those that suffer from bleeding disorders, chronic infections, or diseases of the immune system are not considered good candidates because it is highly likely they will be unable to heal from the surgery. While the surgery itself is simply a titanium rod being placed into the jawbone, the process requires the ability to heal effectively. Consult a professional, like Shoreline Periodontics, for more information.
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