An important aspect of the dental implants process is involving the requirements necessary to be deemed a good candidate for treatment with dental implants. Ideal candidates for dental implants are in good overall physical health, have one or more missing or failing teeth, are in otherwise good oral health, and also have sufficient healthy jawbone density and healthy gum tissue in order to support their dental implants.
Patients must also be free from health conditions that would prevent or complicate the oral surgery required to place their implants. Patients found to be deficient in bone density or healthy gum tissue may be eligible for bone grafting or soft-tissue augmentation procedures to fortify these areas in preparation for placement of dental implants. There is certainly no age limit regarding treatment with dental implants, however, younger patients must have bones that are fully developed in order to receive dental implants.
Bone Grafting and Soft Tissue Augmentation for Dental Implants
As mentioned above, in some cases a patient may not be immediately eligible for dental implants due to a deficiency in jaw bone structure or healthy gum tissue. In these circumstances the doctor may propose that a patient defer their dental implant treatment until they have undergone a compensatory treatment such as bone grafting or soft tissue augmentation to prepare and fortify areas that need to be strong and healthy in order to properly support dental implants.
Bone grafting for dental implants
Bone grafting for dental implants is a surgical procedure in which bone tissue, taken from another part of the patient’s body, or synthetic bone is grafted to the area of the jaw that will be receiving the dental implant. The purpose of this procedure is to add density and structure to the jaw in the months prior to the dental implants procedure so that the area has adequate time to heal in preparation for the dental implants. If the level of bone loss is not extensive then the patient may be able to simultaneously undergo the bone grafting and dental implants procedures.
For patients lacking sufficient healthy gum tissue as a result of gum recession due to periodontal disease or tooth loss, the doctor may recommend a soft-tissue augmentation procedure to transplant healthy vital gum tissue to areas lacking the necessary amount of tissue to support dental implants. During a soft-tissue augmentation, tissue from the roof of the patient’s mouth (palate) will be gently removed and applied to the deficient areas of the gums. One excellent aspect of dental implants is that they will help to prevent bone loss and receding gums once they are in place.
So are you a candidate for dental implants? Dr. Noie is a top dentist in Houston Texas with extensive expertise in cosmetic and implant dentistry and proudly serves Houston, Texas and neighboring areas. Patients missing one or more teeth can rely upon Dr. Noie to provide the highest quality dental implants like so many satisfied patients already have. Dental implants are comprised of titanium artificial tooth roots that are permanently embedded into the patient’s jawbone and then capped with a durable and natural-looking replacement tooth. We encourage you to read on and learn more about dental implants and what makes a patient a good candidate for replacing their teeth with dental implants.