Living with missing teeth can be a major challenge that impedes your quality of life. However, there are options for tooth replacement that can help you reclaim your confidence with a stunning and functional smile. Dental implants are one such example. This versatile treatment option provides a variety of benefits and could be right for you.

Dental Implants: A versatile solution for tooth replacement.

Restorative dentistry offers a variety of tooth replacement solutions for different cases. Crowns, bridges, dentures, and more can help patients missing one, several, or all of their teeth. However, dental implants are a unique case in that they can provide a solution for almost every patient with any number of missing teeth.

Using the jawbone as a foundation for implants allows them to support a wide range of restorations. A single dental implant can support a crown to replace a missing tooth without the need to prepare adjacent teeth for a bridge. Several dental implants can be used to support a full arch replacement, restoring an entire smile.

Factors that determine candidacy for dental implants.

Dental implants are versatile, but not necessarily right for every situation. You’ll need to speak with your dentist to find out more about restorative dentistry options for your unique case. Several factors can play a role in determining if dental implants are right for you.

Oral Health and Hygiene

Dental implants can help you achieve a strong, renewed smile. However, they rely on a certain level of oral health to prevent complications during placement and recovery. If you have issues, such as gum disease, your dentist might not recommend moving forward with dental implants at this time.

The heightened levels of bacteria in your mouth associated with gingivitis and advanced gum disease pose a serious risk during and after implant surgery. Peri-implantitis, the infection of the implant site, is one of the most common reasons for implant failure, and steps must be taken to avoid that outcome.

Bone Density and Quality

Dental implants are implanted in the jawbone to ensure a stable foundation. However, this requires a certain level of bone density and quality. A significant part of your treatment planning will focus on evaluating the jawbone to ensure it can provide the necessary foundation.

If you’ve lived with missing teeth for years, then deterioration may already have affected your jawbone. Other conditions, such as osteoporosis, can affect the jawbone as well. There are also some cases where a person’s jawbone is too small to support dental implants.

General Health and Medical Conditions

Dental implant placement is a type of surgery, so various health factors and conditions might stop you from moving forward with treatment. Conditions that contraindicate surgery, such as those affecting healing or the immune system, could make implant placement too risky. Certain medications may also have a negative impact.

Lifestyle and Habits

Your lifestyle and habits are important in determining your dental implant candidacy. Certain habits, such as smoking and alcohol use, could stop you from getting dental implants if you don’t quit. They affect your oral health and your ability to heal in general. Your dentist won’t move forward if these factors present too high a risk of implant failure.

Overcoming Candidacy Challenges

While these challenges can complicate your tooth replacement journey, they don’t necessarily put an end to it. There are often steps that you can take or additional procedures that can still make you a suitable candidate for dental implants.

Your dentist will work with you to find possible solutions. If you’re dealing with gum disease or other oral health issues, preliminary treatments and improvements to oral hygiene could prepare you for dental implants. Even jawbone density and strength are possible to overcome in some cases with bone grafting to augment the jaw.

Some medical conditions that can contraindicate dental implant surgery, such as diabetes, can be brought under control through lifestyle changes, medication, or a combination of the two. Even if you think you might not be able to get dental implants, it’s well worth speaking with your dentist to find out for sure.

Find out more about dental implants in Great Falls, MT.

Dental implants can be an excellent way to transform your smile. While certain factors may contradict this tooth replacement option, there are also additional procedures and lifestyle changes that can help certain patients become better candidates.

If you have missing teeth and are looking to restore a functional and healthy smile, then dental implants in Great Falls, Montana, are well worth considering. Schedule a consultation with Stephen J. Spencer, DDS, to learn more about your restorative dentistry options.