Preparing for Dental Implants Surgery – Fundamental Issues that Should be Considered
Dental implants offer a permanent solution to replacing missing or damaged teeth, even in cases where the patient has suffered bone loss. When properly maintained, dental implants can last a lifetime; therefore, the decision to undergo surgery is one that should be given careful consideration. Careful planning and preparation on your part and that of the oral surgeon is critical for the success of the procedure. Here are some of the key considerations that should be made before and during the treatment process.
Overall health
Dental implants have a high level of success; however, this is primarily determined by the health of the patient. Certain health conditions can prolong the recovery period, that is, the period during which the implants are left to integrate with the jawbone and soft tissues around it. Others can lead to implant failure where the dental implants fail to fuse with the bone even after an extended recovery period. Such conditions include gum disease and uncontrolled diabetes.
Before determining whether you are a viable candidate for dental implants, it is essential to establish that there aren't any health conditions that could undermine the procedure.
Smoking tendencies
Smoking is not only bad for your dental health, but is can also affect your candidacy as a dental implants patient. Some dental specialists will ask you to stop smoking a few weeks or months before the surgery. Smoking can affect your procedure in the following ways.
- It can lead to an infection during the recovery period. Smoking causes dry mouth, a condition that creates a favorable environment for bacteria to thrive in the mouth. During the recovery period, the bacteria may find their way into the tissues around your dental implants and cause an infection.
- It can lead to dental implants failure. Smoking and infection can slow down the recovery period or cause implants failure.
It is important to consider this, not only for the success of your dental implants surgery but also for the sake of your overall health.
Bone loss
For dental implants to integrate with the bone, they require sufficient depth and width to cover them. If the bone isn't dense, they will not be able to integrate with it, and this will lead to failure. Determining the extent of bone loss is crucial for designing the treatment plan and establishing the recovery period.
Part of the plan includes coming up with a treatment plan involving procedures such as bone grafting or sinus lifting to create sufficient bone depth for the dental implants. These procedures may prolong the treatment period, but they will increase the chances of success.
These three factors are crucial to the success of a dental implant surgery. Talk to your oral surgeon about these and any other concerns that you may have which could affect the success of the treatment.
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