Are You a Candidate for Dental Implants?
Portland, OR
Tooth loss can occur for some different reasons. Whether you lose teeth due to gum disease, facial trauma, or as a result of bruxism, the effects are all the same. Losing your teeth leads to significant difficulty with basic functions such as eating and speaking. Your smile suffers. You lose bone mass in your jaw, which then eventually leads to the bone changing shape and causing other issues. Replacing missing teeth is important for restoring your oral functions, your smile, and your life.At Hillsboro Dental Center, we offer dental implants for tooth replacement. Small titanium posts, which are surgically inserted into your jawbone, are used to provide support to your replacement teeth. The bone fuses to the implants, gradually incorporating the posts into your jaw. They become strong, sturdy and stable. The implants function like natural tooth roots and help to protect the integrity of your jawbone, making this solution a permanent one. Before you can receive treatment, a consultation is needed to determine if you are a candidate.
You Have Suffered Tooth Loss
Tooth loss has many causes, gum disease, facial trauma, even tooth extraction. No matter how you lose your teeth, as well as no matter how many, it is important to have them replaced. Even if you lose just one tooth out of sight from your smile, it requires replacement. Whether you have lost one tooth or you have lost an entire arch of teeth, dental implants can help. They are a versatile treatment that can be customized to meet some different needs.
You Are An Adult
The jaw continues to grow and develop until the late teens early 20s. During this time, placing a dental implant can compromise the development of the jaw, leading to serious issues. However, once the jaw has stopped developing, you may be fully eligible for dental implants. It does not matter if you are in your early 30s, you are in your 50s, or you are over 80, implants can help. No matter how old you are, the benefits are still the same.
You Are in Good Health
Your health is an important component in determining eligibility for implants. Getting dental implants requires a surgical procedure. Being in poor health can cause complications during, as well as after, your procedure. These complications can lead to serious infections. Before you undergo treatment, you need to make sure your health is in good shape. This means that oral health issues such as gum disease need to be treated. Chronic conditions like diabetes need to be under control. With your health in good shape, that can help you to avoid being faced with a rather severe issue, such an infection or implant failure.
You Do Not Smoke, or are Willing to Quit
Smoking, or using other types of tobacco products, can cause several complications during healing. When you smoke, the oxygen in your blood is decreased. Your blood flow slows down. These affect the ability of your oral tissues to heal promptly, increasing your risk of developing an infection. If you want to be considered for implants, it is highly recommended that you quit smoking. If you find that you are unable to quit completely, you will need to be able to at least abstain from the habit until after you have fully healed.
Your Jawbone has Sufficient Bone Mass
Dental implants are a unique treatment that involves the use of titanium posts that are surgically implanted into the bone. As you heal, the bone fuses to the implants, turning them into stable roots that will be used to support your new teeth. However, for this fusion to be successful, you need to have enough natural bone mass remaining. Without it, implants may only be partially integrated into the bone, or they may fail to integrate at all.
One possible option for those with bone loss is the All-on-4 dental implant treatment concept. Typically, when you do not have enough bone mass, you would require a bone graft before undergoing implant surgery. The All-on-4 treatment concept is designed to provide dental implants for those missing an entire arch of teeth who do not have sufficient bone mass to support 6 to 8 implants while avoiding the need for a bone graft.
Dental implants are a unique, revolutionary treatment for replacing missing teeth. To find out if they are right for you, call Hillsboro Dental Center today to schedule your consultation at (503) 648-2829.
