Missing or damaged teeth don’t just affect your self-confidence. They affect your oral health as well as your ability to bite, speak, and chew. If you have a missing tooth due to gum disease, injury, tooth extraction or any other reasons, you can have it replaced with a dental implant.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that holds the replacement tooth in place. Unfortunately, not everyone is the ideal candidate for this type of restorative dentistry. Wondering whether or not you are? Here are four things our dentists look for when deciding if someone is a good fit for dental implants.

  • Healthy gums

Your dental implant is going to be placed into your jaw bone. Meaning that it’s going to have a close relationship with your gums. If your gums aren’t healthy or you have gum disease, they won’t be able to help support the implants.

  • Good bone density

Just like with your gums, your bones are going to be what’s helping support the implant. So if you have poor bone density, the implant won’t be secure.

  • Great overall oral health

Your oral hygiene is important when it comes to determining whether you’re a good fit for dental implants. Your dentist needs to know that you’re going to be able to take care of the implant and keep it free from disease or infection.

  • Healthy lifestyle habits

Similarly, you need to have healthy habits, period. This doesn’t mean you need to be some all-star athlete, it just means that you aren’t a smoker or a heavy drinker. The entire process can take anywhere from four to twelve months, and you’ll want to avoid anything that can affect your ability to heal.

What are the criteria for dental implants?

If you are considering getting dental implant restoration, you’ll want to make sure you have strong gums and bones as well as good oral health and general wellness. An ideal candidate also does not have diabetes, autoimmune illnesses, or any other health concern that may affect how well you heal.

Not a good candidate? There are other options!

If you don’t meet the criteria for an implant, there are other options. You may be a good candidate for a dental bridge or partial dentures. Talk to your dentist to find out which path is right for you!

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