If you’re one of the 120 million American adults who have at least one missing tooth, you probably agree that having missing teeth makes it more challenging for you to speak, chew your food, and regain your confidence. Thankfully, dental implants in Seattle can be used to correct this problem. They’re the next best thing to real teeth because they look, feel, and function like them.
What are the Factors That Determine a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
Overall Health
Dental implant placement involves a surgical procedure that requires the use of anesthesia. For this reason, the patient needs to have good overall health. It’s the dentist’s job to obtain the patient’s medical history and the types of medications that they take. In some cases, a medical clearance may be required from your primary doctor.
Gum Health
Another factor to be considered is the patient’s gum health. It’s best if the patient doesn’t have gum disease during the dental implant procedure because it would increase the patient’s chances of developing a bone infection and subsequent implant failure.
Bone Density
The patient’s jaw bone will serve as the base for dental implants. The jaw has to have adequate bone density to support the implants. Patients who don’t have enough bone density may need to undergo specific procedures that include sinus augmentation, bone augmentation, and ridge expansion before getting their implants.
While sinus augmentation aims to add bone tissue below the sinus area, bone augmentation aims to increase jaw bone mass by using bone additives and growth factors. On the other hand, ridge expansion is performed by placing a bone graft at the top of the jaw to increase the jaw bone’s width.
Are You a Good Candidate for Dental Implants in Seattle?
The best way to know if you’d make a right candidate for dental implants is to ask the dentist. Get in touch with Smiles on 35th to schedule your appointment today.
