Tooth loss can lead to many difficulties related to dental health, confidence in your smile, and oral capabilities. You can meet with your dentist to find a treatment to replace your missing teeth that aligns with your specific smile goals. Dental implants will provide the most comprehensive restorative benefits when it comes to teeth replacement.
But not every patient will qualify for these dental fixtures. Your dentist will evaluate your smile and your desired results to learn if this treatment suits your needs. Read on to learn about three qualities that make a patient ideal for implant dentistry treatment.
Ideal Characteristics of Dental Implant Patients
Seeking Permanent Tooth Replacements
Dental implants feature prosthetic teeth that come in the form of a crown, bridge, or denture, depending on your oral health goals and needs. These prosthetics rely on anchors surgically placed in the jaw that fuse with the bone there. This creates a strong support that keeps the implants in place.
Because anchors will fuse with the jawbone, dentists consider implants to be a permanent restorative dental treatment. The implant can remain in place for twenty or more years with proper care.
The long-lasting effects of this treatment are often valued by many dental patients. But some people would prefer a removable oral appliance instead that they can take out of the mouth when not in use. This can be more affordable as well as comfortable in some cases.
Therefore, implant dentistry is meant for patients who desire this permanent fixture to replace their missing teeth. You can discuss your preferences to restore your smile after tooth loss with your dentist during a consultation.
Possessing Stable and Healthy Jawbone
When you lose one or more teeth, you also lose the root of the tooth that extends below the gumline to the jaw. In healthy dental patients, this root stimulates the jaw, keeping it strong and intact. Without the tooth root, the jawbone does not receive stimulation and can start to deteriorate in its absence.
The anchor of a dental implant can replace the missing tooth root and stop this bone loss. But if too much bone has already degenerated, the jaw might not be strong enough to support a dental implant.
In these cases, you might need additional treatment before you can qualify for implant dentistry. A dentist will evaluate your jawbone health through x-ray imaging and determine your eligibility from there.
Exhibiting Patience and Commitment to the Implant Process
Receiving dental implants to replace missing teeth involves a multi-step process that could result in three or more appointments with your dentist over the course of several months. You will need an initial consult with your dentist and then oral surgery to receive the anchors of the implants.
This will need three or more months to heal and fuse with the jawbone. Then you return to your dentist’s office to secure prosthetic teeth to the implants. An ideal patient will understand the long-term benefits and stay confident and committed to this process and the results.