Dental Implant Candidacy

    DENVER, CO, August 01, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Dental implants provide a durable, comfortable and natural-looking way to replace missing teeth. In general, anyone who is missing teeth is a potential candidate for dental implants. Although certain factors may mean dental implants are not right for you, these factors can usually be managed to improve your candidacy.

Dental Implant Candidacy Factors

Dental implant candidates:

- Have one or several missing teeth, or are missing all their teeth.
- Desire a long-term tooth replacement option.
- Want a natural-looking tooth replacement.
- Desire more comfortable chewing and improved speech.
- Have reached an age in which the jawbone is fully developed.
- Are committed to proper oral hygiene to maintain their dental implant.
- Are in good overall health.
- Have healthy gums.
- Have adequate bone beneath the gums to support the dental implant.

Most implant dentists can manage candidacy factors so that anyone can be a candidate for dental implants. For example, if the boney ridge beneath your teeth is deficient, bone grafting can be performed to augment the area.

Dental implant candidates should also consider the time required for the procedure before committing to it. A traditional dental implant procedure requires several months from implantation to completion; although, with procedures like Teeth in a Day, you may be a candidate for a shortened dental implant option.

Risk of Dental Implant Failure

After learning more about you and your medical history, your implant dentist may decide some factors need to be managed before you can be a good dental implant candidate. Certain health conditions and other factors can increase the risk of dental implant failure or otherwise hinder the dental implant procedure. Such factors include:

- Smoking and other tobacco use
- Uncontrolled diabetes, heart disease or other chronic illness
- Radiation treatment to the head or neck

Ordinarily, dental implants have a success rate over 90 percent, but certain health conditions, smoking and excessive alcohol use may impede your body's ability to recover and heal.

The healing process is essential to the success of your dental implant. After the implant is placed in the bone beneath your gums, a few months pass in which the dental implant fuses with the bone, forming a secure and durable bond. This fusion process is called "osseointegration." This process must be facilitated by good overall health and management of chronic health conditions and tobacco use.

To learn more about dental implants in Denver, Colorado, please visit the website of the experienced dentists at Aspenwood Dental Associates & Colorado Dental Implant Center at www.aspenwooddental.com.

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