Dental Implants - Consider What Makes a Good Candidate

If you are considering getting dental implants, you should first make sure that you are a good candidate, as this procedure may not be for everyone. You are advised to talk to your dentist to find out more about this treatment. Until then, learn some of the traits that make you a good candidate.

The most obvious requirement is that you need to have one or more missing teeth that can be filled by dental implants. A titanium screw will be inserted into the gums, and then the implant will be attached, so this is a permanent way to fill in the gaps. The result is that your mouth will be healthier in general since gaps can cause parts of your jaw to start to collapse a bit where teeth are missing, so having one or more gaps is not good.

This means that you should be ready to regain any speech ability that was lost when you had missing teeth, as gaps can make it harder to speak normally. You should also be prepared to gain self confidence since you will have a full set of teeth. This can make you look younger and healthier, so you will be proud to show off your smile. Do not be surprised if it changes the entire look of your smile for the better.

You also need to ensure that your jaw and gums are generally healthy. Your jaw should be fully grown, as otherwise the procedure might not work well once the screws are in. You also have to have a decent amount of gum tissue left since the dental implants need healthy gums surrounding them, especially if you want the result to look nice. Your practitioner should do a full exam before deciding that you are right for this treatment, as this is the only way to get the best result. If you end up not being a good candidate, you may be steered toward other options.

One of those options may be dentures, as this is another way to get a full set of teeth, though many people tend to prefer dental implants since it is a more permanent solution. However, if you actually prefer dentures, yet find they are not fitting right, you might consider getting an implant attached to the jaw. This option can make your dentures fit better since they will not slide around, as they will be propped on the implant. Talk to your dentist about either using dental implants as an alternative to dentures, or as a way to make them fit better.

As you consider this treatment, you should make an appointment with your practitioner to discuss your options. You may find that you are a good candidate, but need to find a way to pay for it before starting treatment. If you find out that you are not a good candidate for the procedure, you are advised to explore your other choices when it comes to filling the gaps in your smile, as there are other options that may work for you.