Age doesn’t matter when we are planning a dental implant surgery, though the health conditions might be important, just like the quality and quantity of the bone in the jaw.
Other circumstances that influence negatively the dental implant surgery and its outcome:
- heavy smoking: sets back the healing process
- excessive alcohol consumption: sets back healing process of the gums
- periodontal disease: in some severe cases it might lead to bone loss
- patients with weak immune system: steroids, patients undergoing radiation treatment, auto-immune disease
- bruxism: tooth grinders might need a nightguard to help relieving pressure from the artificial roots and prevent chipping of crowns
- diabetes: it slows down the healing process, increases the risk of infections and other complications
Can I have dental implants if I’m grinding teeth?
Yes, it is absolutely possible, it is not even an unusual problem. Unconsciously, anyone can face it while sleeping. If you know about this disfunction of yours, please let your dentist know about it so they can suggest you mouthguard accordingly.
The importance of having enough bone mass
One of the most important conditions is the bone mass. Special examinations are needed to be able to decide if the quality and the quantity of the bone is enough for the dental implant surgery.
Therefore, we make an X-ray and a CT scan and the dentist evaluates the density of the bone, also examines the dental hygiene state of the neighboring tissues, nerves, etc. If the bone is not enough, bone graft or sinus lift might be necessary before the dental implant surgery.
This process is completely safe if you have a good oral hygiene, good general health state and rested.
How lasting is the dental implant?
If you are applying all the recommendations of your dentist, and pay attention to your oral health, it should last for a lifetime.
