Can You Get Dental Implants?

The entire dental implant concept is based on a natural-occurring process called osseointegration. This process works to integrate your dental implants into your oral anatomy, convincing your body that your implants are no different from natural teeth. Because of how important this process is to dental implants, it’s no wonder that doctors would be hesitant to place them in patients who may have a harder time with the process.

For some patients, the process of osseointegration may be put at risk because of habits or conditions they may have, which may result in them being denied treatment with dental implants. At our Bethlehem, PA office, Lehigh Valley Oral Surgery & Implant Center, it is important to us that we determine whether or not a patient is a good candidate for implant treatment before allowing them to move forward with the procedure. Find out if you are an idea candidate for dental implants with oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry.

The Ideal Candidate for Dental Implants

There are certain traits we look for in patients who we consider good candidates for treatment with dental implants. Some of these traits include:

• Missing One or More Teeth: Dr. Chaudhry is not in the practice of pulling teeth that are perfectly healthy. In order to qualify for treatment with dental implants, you must either be already missing teeth or be at risk to lose teeth.
• Good Oral Health: In order for osseointegration to succeed, your mouth must be free from conditions like gum disease and tooth decay. Because of this, you will need to clear up these problems before you will be able to have your implants placed.
• Good General Health: To qualify for surgery, you will need to be in good general health as well as good oral health.
• Sufficient Jawbone Density: In order for the process of osseointegration to succeed, your jawbone must be strong enough to support your dental implants. When you lose a tooth, your jawbone will begin to deteriorate and, if you wait too long, this deterioration may require a bone graft before your implants can be placed.
• Understanding of the Process: Patients must understand that the dental implant process does not provide an instant solution to missing teeth. In fact, the implant process takes the longest to provide results. However, our patients agree that the results possible with implants more than make up for the extra time needed.

Less Than Ideal Candidates for Dental Implants

For some patients, the journey to a complete smile with dental implants may end prematurely. The reason these patients tend to be denied treatment with implants is because a condition or habit they have may increase the chances of osseointegration failing. For some of these patients, they may simply need to wait for their condition to resolve before they will be able to have their treatment continued. Some of these conditions and habits include:

• Pregnancy: Patients who are pregnant will not be able to move forward with surgical procedures until after their child has been born. If you would still like to move forward with dental implants, we will be able to schedule you for a consultation after your child’s birth.
• Age: Some patients do not qualify for treatment with dental implants because they are too young. For these patients, their jawbone is in a state of growth and change. Until this period of growth is complete, they will not be able to have dental implants placed.
• Smoking: Patients who smoke have been traditionally turned away from dental implants because the habit can cause infection in the implant site, leading to the treatment’s failure.
• Alcoholism: Patients suffering alcoholism have also been traditionally turned away from treatment with dental implants. The reason for this is the fact that alcohol can slow the rate at which your body heals, which can make it harder for osseointegration to succeed.

Find Out If You Qualify for Dental Implants in Bethlehem, PA

Do you live in the Bethlehem, PA area and would like to find out whether or not you might be a good candidate for treatment with dental implants? Then contact our office and schedule a no-obligation consultation with Dr. Ahmad Chaudhry today. We look forward to hearing from you soon!