Breakthroughs in medicine have resulted in dental implants routinely being considered as alternatives to bridges and dentures. The implants can replace one or all of a patient’s teeth with a high rate of success and less risk of complications than ever before. In fact, at least one journal of dental implantology study cites a long-term success rate reaching 97 percent.
That being said, not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants, which fuse one or more titanium posts to bone in the jaw to support a prosthetic. Although a lack of bone volume inside the gum is one issue that frequently can be overcome with grafting, other factors are disqualifying.
Evaluating Candidates for the Procedure
Your dentist’s knowledge of your medical history is the starting point in assessing whether dental implants could work. Diabetes, advanced gum disease, a compromised immune system or cancer treatment that have required radiation treatment to the jaw are examples of possible roadblocks to proceeding.
The dentist can then recommend a periodontist or oral surgeon, specialists guided by their medical training and by staying current with journal of dental implantology academic papers chronicling the latest innovations and studies.
Patient and Persistent Patients See Results
Some service providers advertise one-day turnarounds with subsequent tweaks, but it’s often not that simple. That’s especially true when it comes to replacing multiple teeth because the posts being embedded into the bone offer the best chance of success if they are given the maximum time to fuse with the bone. That could take up to six months, but the patient is able to continue using a denture or other prosthetic in the interim.
A typical journal of dental implantology study on the subject will remind patients that ongoing care is a must. That means brushing, flossing, making semi-annual trips to the dentist for cleanings and staying away from risk factors such as smoking. Taken seriously, the regimen is a near-certain formula for long-term success.
