Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Q: Am I A Candidate For Getting A Dental Implant?

A:  First, let's discuss some reasons why one would not be a great candidate for a dental implant:

1. Smoking. Smoking lowers our success rate for dental implants because it causes the blood vessels in the jaw to constrict. Without adequate blood flow, new bone formation around the implant is limited. Therefore, the implant may not be as secure as it needs to be and has a greater likelihood of failing. If you are a smoker, I would recommended decreasing the number of cigarettes to less than 1/2 pack a day for a month before implant surgery. Of course, stopping smoking completely is the best option for getting dental implants and one's overall health.

2. Jaw Bone Type. The jaw is made up of 4 different types of bone.  They range from hard, like oak, to soft, like Styrofoam.  The hardest and softest bone have lower success rates. The highest success rate for dental implants are in patients who have bone types that are in the middle of hard and soft. Not sure which bone type you have? At Roselle Park Dental, we have a CT scan that can help us measure the density of your jaw bone.

3. Diseases. Certain diseases, such as uncontrolled diabetes and osteoporosis, can be contraindications for dental implants. At Roselle Park Dental, we make sure we do a comprehensive medical history to determine if dental implants are the best course of treatment for you.

To see if you're a candidate for dental implants, call Roselle Park Dental and schedule a consultation. The dentist will do a thorough oral exam, medical history review and CT scan so he can see your entire jaw bone structure. We look forward to seeing you!

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