How Do You Know If Your Gums Are Strong Enough For Dental Implants?

If your permanent teeth are loose or missing, you might need dental implants to replace the missing teeth. Dental implants are the best choice for missing teeth as there is no other type of restoration that can give you the same function and appearance as your original teeth except for dental implants.

But dental implants have a few prerequisites before you can get them fitted in your mouth. Your gums and the underlying bone must be ready for the appliance, as the dental structure has a crucial role in the implant’s stability and appearance. If there is an oral problem, it could make fitting these appliances difficult, though not impossible.

We will look closely into how you can determine whether you are fit for dental implants and how to overcome the difficulties with certain treatments and procedures.

What are Dental Implants And Their Procedure?

These false teeth are meant to look and function like real teeth.

• They are made of titanium steel root, which your dentist would insert directly into the jawbone where you need to replace teeth.
• The false teeth then stay in your mouth to heal for about four to six months.
• During the healing period, osseointegration occurs where the steel root fuses into the jawbones. This is a crucial step, and its success determines the overall success of the entire procedure. If the appliance does not fuse properly, it might fall off just like the original teeth did.
• The implants are tapered off with a bridge, crown, or other natural-looking restoration.

Benefits of Dental Implants

Dentists highly recommend dental implants for replacing missing teeth because they have many benefits. They provide the following benefits to the patient:

• They add stability and are highly durable.
• Implants prevent bone loss.
• They look completely natural, and no one can not find out they are fake and not your natural teeth.
• They restore the proper functioning of your mouth, such as chewing, speaking easily, and more.

What Do Dental Implants Need?

Since your dentist needs to secure dental implants in your mouth tightly, your gums must be healthy for this procedure to succeed.

• Your bone conditions need to be strong along with healthy tissues to support the appliance. Since your new teeth are fixed into a post screwed to your jaw, it needs a solid base structure to get attached to.
• About two millimeters of bone thickness is needed around the implant surface to provide adequate support and prevent gum recession.
• There should not be any periodontal disease as they weaken the gums and the appliance.
• If gums have shrunk or receded from their usual position, placing the implants could also pose a problem. Gum recession is usually due to gum disease. 

How Will My Dentist Assess Whether I Can Get Dental Implants?

Your dentist will perform a few preliminary exams before deciding if you are the right candidate for this type of fittings. These procedures are meant to determine your gum and bone health. The dentist would analyze general oral conditions; a few of them are listed below:

• Presence of cavities.
• Perform oral cancer screening.
• Check for gum or periodontal diseases.
• Check the health of tissues and jaw bones.

What Can Be Done If My Oral Condition Is Not Fit For Dental Implants

If your dentist finds out you do not have enough bone, your gums have receded, or you have periodontitis, it does not mean implants can not be done for you. Your dentist would take appropriate measures for your problem to place implants successfully.

• If you lack sufficient bone, then the dentist can perform bone grafting, where grafting material is placed within the empty socket. This creates a scaffold upon which new bone cells can grow. With time, enough growth might provide adequate thickness for the appliance to be placed.
• If your gums have receded, then gum grafting can be done to provide sufficient gum coverage for the fixture. Through grafting, the patient would acquire healthier gums, which helps protect underlying bone and avoid bone loss.
• If you have severe gum disease, you might need periodontal therapy before getting these false teeth. Periodontal treatments can be any from the following list:
  • Root scaling and planing – This deep cleaning procedure removes plaque buildup using a hand scalar and ultrasound equipment.
  • Periodontal surgery – In case of severe periodontal disease, surgery or laser treatment might be needed to remove unhealthy gums.

Dental implants are an excellent way to replace missing teeth, but not everyone can get them done immediately. Your dentist would evaluate your oral condition to ensure you are fit for the procedure. 

In case you suffer from any dental problems which could make these fittings difficult, your dentist might need you to go through periodontal therapy or gum/bone grafting so that you can smoothly and securely fix your implants.