Who is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?
We all know that when people are missing a tooth or multiple teeth, it can have a major impact on the appearance of their smile. Even just a small gap between teeth can make you feel self-conscious about talking, smiling, laughing, or yawning around people that you've know for many years. In addition to that, gaps between teeth can lead to gum recession, loss of bone density, gradual tooth misalignment, and other serious problems.
This is why you should meet with a Long Island cosmetic dentist if you are missing a tooth or multiple teeth. One of the best options for restoring your smile in such cases is implant dentistry. Let's take a quick moment to look at what this entails and who would be best helped through the use of dental implants.
About Dental Implants
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically placed into the jawbone and gum tissue of a patient's dental arch. These dental implants will fuse with the bone and gum tissue over the course of a few months, essentially becoming part of the structure of the mouth. When this period of integration as been completed, the dental implants will be sturdy enough to support a single dental crown, multiple dental crowns, a dental bridge, a partial denture, or even a full denture.
By meeting with a Garden City cosmetic and restorative dentist, you'll be able to find out if dental implants are right for you and what sort of dental restoration would be best to meet your needs.
The Best Candidates for Dental Implants
The best candidates for dental implants are people who are missing teeth and have sufficient bone and gum tissue in place in the area(s) of the tooth gap(s). Since oral surgery is involved for implant placement, these candidates for implants dentistry should be in good overall health and not suffer from any serious medical conditions.
Why Healthy Bone and Gum Tissue is Crucial
In order for dental implants to function properly, they need to be rooted into place in the organic tissues of the mouth. Remember, while these implants are made of titanium, they are meant to be new tooth roots and function in the same way that natural tooth roots would. Without sufficient hard and soft tissue, these dental implants will not be able to hold dental restorations in place.
Bone/Gum Grafting as an Option for Non-candidates
If patients do not have sufficient bone or gum structure, grafting surgeries can be performed to help improve the density of tissue in the area of the tooth gap. These restorative dentistry options will involve the use of donor tissue or artificial grafting materials to build up these hard and soft structures. We should note that not everyone is a good candidate for these grafting procedures, and that undergoing grafting treatments will add several additional months to the treatment process.
Additional Considerations for Smile Enhancement
In addition to dental implants and other restorative options, patients can enhance their dental aesthetics and dental health through Long Island porcelain veneers, teeth whitening treatments, and much more. We'd be more than happy to go over all of these in greater detail during your visit.
Learn More About Your Many Options for Advanced Dental Care
For more information about dental implants as well as your other options for replacing missing teeth and restoring overall dental health, be sure to contact our Garden City cosmetic dentistry center today. The entire team here looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you achieve the best possible dental health in the process.
