DENTAL ARTICLE

Am I Eligible for Dental Implants? (Essential Reading)

Dental Implants

Most people can have dental implants; however, you need to be assessed by a dedicated implant dentist to determine your eligibility first.

With the advanced dental techniques available today, more people can enjoy the benefits of dental implants. But before you get started, an implant dentist must perform a standard assessment process to determine whether you’re suitable for implants and that the procedure would be successful. Here are some of the things they’ll be looking for.

Bone density:

Your dentist must ensure you have adequate bone density and strength to support a dental implant. Since the implant will need to fuse with the jawbone to form the root of the replacement tooth (or teeth), the quality and density of your jawbone will play a large part in the success of your dental implants procedure. If you don’t have adequate bone density, your dentist may recommend a bone grafting procedure, zygomatic implants or alternative tooth replacement options, like a dental bridge.

Oral health

Your implant dentist will need to examine your teeth, mouth and gums to ensure you have a healthy mouth and excellent dental hygiene. Just like your natural teeth, dental implants require maintenance through regular cleaning, flossing and dental visits. Your dentist may also check for signs of tooth clenching, as this could impair the success of your dental implants.

Overall health

To qualify as an ideal candidate, you’ll need to be in good physical health. Individuals who smoke, have a history of chemotherapy, are undergoing additional medical treatments or suffer from diabetes may have lower success rates and require additional planning and careful attention to minimise the risk of unfortunate outcomes. Your dentist and doctor will advise you on your eligibility for implants.

Risk of gum disease

Your dentist will need to determine your risk of developing gum disease. Since healthy gums are essential for supporting the dental implant, patients with a high risk of gum disease have a higher potential for implant failure and complications.

What are my alternatives?

If you aren’t eligible for dental implants or are outside your price range, your dentist may recommend alternative tooth replacement options to suit your circumstances better.

  • Dental bridge: A bridge is a tooth replacement option that can be used to replace either single or multiple teeth. Depending on the type of bridge you have, the replacement tooth can be held in place in different ways. Traditional bridges are held in place by crowns on the surrounding teeth, while resin-bonded bridges will be anchored onto the two adjacent teeth via wing-like attachments.
  • Dentures: A partial or complete denture is another non-implant tooth replacement option. Dentures can be used to replace multiple or even a full set of teeth.

Get the best care & advice from Perth’s dental implant experts

At Aria Dental in Perth, our highly trained implant dentists can help you enjoy the best dental health. Whether you’re considering dental implants or need advice on your existing implants, our experienced dentists and leading Prosthodontist can help you.

We go the extra mile for your smile.