Are you missing some of your teeth due to issues with gum disease? Your imperfect smile may have motivated you to look for a way to fix it. One way to restore missing teeth is with dental implants. Unlike partial dentures, dental implants will be a permanent fixture in your mouth that should last the rest of your life.
There is a process that you must go through before a dentist can install dental implants. It involves getting a thorough examination to find out if you are a good candidate, which includes looking at the health of your jawbone and gum tissue. If complications are discovered during the exam process that could prevent you from getting dental implants, know that there are solutions that will prepare your jaw and gums for the surgery. …show more content…
If it is due to gum disease, there will more than likely be other problems that need to be addressed before you can get dental implants. For instance, it’s possible that you have a dental abscess that need to be fixed, which is an infection from untreated dental issues. You could also have an infected pulp chamber.
A blood test will be done to find out if you have any existing issues with hypertension or diabetes. These issues can affect how your body heals following the surgery, and could make the recovery process difficult. Diabetes also is known to cause complications with bone formation. That said, a dental implant can still be installed safely if you do have diabetes, but more care will need to be taken.
X-rays are also taken to determine the thickness of your jawbone, which will determine if it is ideal for dental implants. Your dentist will be looking for a jawbone that is too thin or weak to handle the implant, which could result in other procedures being necessary to strengthen the jawbone.
The Pre-Surgery