Who Can Have Dental Implants?

If you have already lost one or more teeth or are faced with tooth loss in the future, your dentist may have suggested dental implants in South Benfleet. Implants are the most modern way to replace lost teeth and can be extremely long-lasting, but who can have them?

The really good news is that most people are able to benefit from dental implants but you will need to have an initial consultation with your implant dentist in South Benfleet to find out if you are suitable. During this consultation your dentist will examine your mouth, but they will also want to know your medical history.

Factors that Will Matter

The reason for this is to make sure you don’t have any existing medical conditions that could affect the success of your dental implants and to check that you aren’t taking any medications that could interfere with the healing process. One medical issue that can affect the dental implant success is diabetes, but if it is well-controlled then it’s still worth talking to your dentist. One lifestyle habits that can affect the dental implant success is smoking as it interferes with the healing process and can increase the chances of implant failure. If you do smoke then it’s worth quitting before you have dental implants in South Benfleet and at least for the duration of the treatment, if not for life.

Your Age Isn’t a Factor

It’s easy to imagine that age could be a factor when deciding to have dental implants but it generally doesn’t matter. In fact lots of older people have found implant treatment to be extremely successful and useful, particularly when they are missing multiple teeth or even complete arches of teeth and have loose dentures. It’s far more important that you are in good general health and that you don’t have any existing dental problems such as gum disease.

What about Replacing Teeth That Were Lost Years Ago?

While it’s a great idea to have dental implants soon after tooth loss there is no reason why you can’t have them many years after your natural teeth were extracted. However, this could mean that you have since lost some of your jawbone as it naturally reabsorbs once teeth are removed. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but may mean you need to have a bone graft to build up the bone before the implants are placed. A bone graft might sound dramatic, but is very straightforward although it could mean you require a little more time in completing your treatment as the bone graft will need to heal and integrate with your own jawbone. If only a tiny amount of bone is required, it might be possible for your dental implant dentist in South Benfleet to place the bone graft at the same time as the dental implant.

Interested in finding out more about dental implants? Why not contact South Benfleet Dental Care for an initial consultation? Call us today on 01268 793485.