The effects of losing one or more teeth can be more significant than many people realize. These often stem from the loss of healthy, natural teeth roots within your dental ridge, which conventional tooth replacement options aren’t able to address. With dental implants, replacing one or more lost teeth includes replacing their lost roots, and for many patients, this is the best way to restore and preserve their healthy smiles after tooth loss. Fortunately, qualifying for dental implants and enjoying the many benefits they provide may be simpler than you might expect.
An overview of dental implant placement
In order to successfully replace the roots of your lost teeth, dental implant posts are inserted into the areas of your dental ridge where the roots were lost. The dental implants, which are crafted from biocompatible material such as titanium, are designed to reestablish the supportive anchors that your healthy teeth rely on to improve the comfort and stability of your dental bridge or denture. Once a biocompatible implant post is placed, the bone structure around it will begin healing to them, a process known as osseointegration.
Typical considerations for dental implants
Because dental implants can interact with the healthy, natural bone structure of your dental ridge, many patients who experience tooth loss are good candidates for implant placement. However, the success of the treatment depends largely on ensuring that osseointegration between your dental ridge and dental implant posts is successful. This means certain criteria must be met before you can receive your dental implants, such as ensuring gum disease is not presence, or is well-managed, and won’t threaten the structures supporting your dental implants. Also, the bone structure in the dental ridge receiving the implant posts must be strong and healthy enough to receive and support them long-term.
What you may need to address first
Given the unique nature of tooth loss and its specific cause for patients who experience it, qualifying for dental implants may mean different things. For example, if you don’t have gum disease, then it may not be a concern in your candidacy for dental implants. If you address your tooth loss soon enough, you may still retain plenty of strong, healthy bone structure to properly support your implant posts. However, if you do exhibit an oral health concern that could affect your dental implants, then you may need appropriate treatment to address it before implants can successfully rebuild your smile.
Learn if you qualify for dental implants
Their biocompatibility makes dental implants a good option for many people who’ve experienced tooth loss. To learn if you qualify for dental implant placement, schedule a consultation with us by calling the office of Dr. Stuart Dexter in Prairie Village, KS, today at 913-362-8200.