Given their effects, you may want dental implants in Brookfield. That’s only natural — such prosthetic teeth are great at filling out smiles! Even so, you should probably confirm you qualify for them first. Your future restorations might not work out otherwise, something that’d be a waste of time and money. Luckily, your local dental practice can help you with that process. Here, then, are four issues that hinder implant surgery and the ways to resolve them.
Untreated Gum Disease
While tooth loss is a severe problem, you can’t get dental implants if you have untreated gum disease. Doing so would set you up for (literal) failure.
You see, a gum infection damages both the gums and your jawbone. As such, it could harm the area near an implant and make the prosthetic fail. You’d then have to get a replacement and other follow-up procedures.
Thankfully, you can still get implants as long as your gum disease is managed. Therefore, see a dentist for periodontal therapy before starting surgery.
A Shrunken Jawbone
In truth, implants also need a solid jawbone to succeed. If a jaw lacks enough healthy bone, the new teeth won’t have the support to stay in place.
Ironically, this erosion of the jawbone often stems from tooth loss. Teeth stimulate the jaw’s bone tissues, so missing them causes those tissues to degrade.
Of course, it’s possible to reverse this shrinkage. A bone graft could transplant tissue from another body part, thus strengthening your jaw. However, keep in mind that this method can be invasive.
A Smoking Habit
Smoking tends to make implant treatment risky. The habit can restrict blood flow to the gums, slowing your recovery and causing the new teeth to fail. In fact, multiple studies show that smokers have a dental implant failure rate as high as 20 percent.
That said, being a smoker doesn’t make you ineligible for implants. If you can quit the habit at least a week before surgery, the placement will go much better. You’ll also have an improved outcome by not smoking for at least two months afterward.
Poor Oral Hygiene
Implants may not be right for those who have poor oral hygiene. Assuming the problem doesn’t cause these prosthetics to fail, it drastically reduces their lifespan.
Still, good oral habits aren’t hard to develop. All you need to do is brush twice daily, floss once daily, and rinse with fluoridated mouthwash. From there, it’s just a matter of attending regular dental checkups and cleanings. So long as you remember these practices, your mouth will be healthy enough to receive and sustain implants.
Ultimately, you have to be ready to get dental implants in Brookfield. Therefore, solve the problems above before considering surgery!
About the Practice
Bright Smiles Dentistry is based in Brookfield, WI. As led by Drs. Muddana and Chahana, our practice gives quality smiles to patients of all ages. To that end, we perform preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, not to mention emergency dental care. Our team is also a certified provider of sedation services and dental implants. For more information or to book a visit, reach us on our website or call by phone at (262)-563-9100.