What Factors Contribute to the Long-Term Success of Dental Implants?

Are you considering dental implants as a tooth replacement option? Suffering from tooth loss is cumbersome and traumatic. Fortunately, there are more tooth replacement options than ever before. Dental implants are the most biocompatible alternative to natural teeth. Not all patients are suitable candidates for dental implants. A consultation with our oral surgeon can reveal whether the condition of a person’s oral health is ideal for the success of dental implants. Important factors that contribute to the success of implants include bone density in the jaw, which is necessary to support dental implants, and if a person has had a history of periodontal (gum) disease.

How Do Bone Density and Periodontal Disease Affect Dental Implants?

To replace a tooth’s root, the dental implant is embedded into the jaw. With time, the jawbone around an implant will generate new tissue that will fuse around the implant’s structure to hold it in place. This is possible because an implant is constructed from titanium, a metal that is biocompatible with the body. If the jaw is too thin or narrow, the implant could fail because there is not enough mass to support it. This is why the thickness and width of bone are so important to successful implantation.

Periodontal disease affects the stability of implants for a few reasons. First, gum disease attacks the health of gingiva, another support structure for dental implants. Advanced gum disease also affects the health and density of bone. Lastly, periodontal disease is a chronic infection in the oral cavity that can slow down one’s ability to heal, therefore making recovery after receiving implants difficult.

What Can Increase a Person’s Success With Implants?

Our oral surgeon can provide a few treatments to help increase a person’s candidacy for dental implants with bone grafts that can be used to improve the thickness of the jaw. Some patients with gum disease can improve their condition with specialized periodontal treatments.

To learn more about dental implants, contact Stonebriar Facial & Oral Surgery at 214-618-3070 today to schedule a tooth replacement consultation.