Four Questions to Decide if Dental Implants are Right for You

Get some initial information to use in deciding whether or not to get dental implants.

Dental implants offer a very exciting alternative to traditional methods of replacing missing teeth like bridges and dentures. Though the process is safe and studies show a long track record of successfully providing dental implants that last for decades, nonetheless dental implants are not right for every patient.

To figure out if dental implants may be right for you, begin by asking yourself these 4 questions.

How Old Are You?

If your jaw is not yet done developing, you are not a good candidate for dental implants. This makes dental implants unavailable to most patients under age 18. However, there is no upper age limit for dental implants. So long as you are healthy enough for the implant placement surgery, you can certainly get dental implants.

How Noticeable Is Your Missing Tooth?

Another factor to consider is the location of the missing tooth (or teeth) that will be replaced by the dental implant. If the replacement tooth is going to be very noticeable when you smile, naturally you want to choose the most beautiful, natural-looking replacement possible, no matter the cost. This would most likely be a dental implant. Because the titanium implant peg will actually bond with the bone structure of your jaw, you will not have to worry about developing a “sunken” look in the area of the missing tooth, or having neighboring teeth get weakened.

Is Your Oral Health Good?

Another very important question to ask is whether or not your gum and bone tissue is healthy enough to support an implant. If you have already had significant bone loss in the jaw, you may need a bone graft before the dental implant can be placed, which would add to the cost and timeframe required to complete the procedure. If your gums are severely infected, you would need to wait until the infection was controlled in order to begin the process.

Are You Willing to Invest in Implants?

One final question you should ask yourself is if you are really willing to invest the time and money that will be required for a successful implant experience. Don’t fall for offers of inexpensive “same-day” implants or “mini” implants. These may seem like a better deal initially, but the truth is that the success rate of dental implants is dependent on the implant posts having sufficient time to heal before placement of the final implant crowns. You do not want to rush this process or skimp on the quality of your dental implant provider.

To learn more about dental implants, please contact California Dental Group to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced dentists.