Dr. Mounir Iskandar is a leading dentist and prosthodontist in Irving, offering advanced dental care. This includes the use of dental implants to treat tooth loss and support crowns, bridges, and dentures.
Since many patients wonder if dental implants are the right solution for them, we’d like to take a moment to look at some general candidacy requirements right now.
WHAT ARE DENTAL IMPLANTS?
Dental implants are artificial tooth roots that are surgically embedded into a patient’s jawbone and gum tissue. Made of titanium, they are compatible with the living tissue of the mouth and actually fuse with bone and gum tissue. In essence, they become new tooth roots.
The dental implants themselves are not artificial teeth but rather posts that are able to support various kinds of restorations and appliances, such as dental crowns, dental bridges, partial dentures, and full dentures.
GENERAL CANDIDACY FOR DENTAL IMPLANTS
Good candidates for dental implants are people with good bone density and periodontal health in the area of a tooth gap. They should be in good health overall and not suffer from any kinds of conditions that would make oral surgery a possible risk to their wellness.
THE IMPORTANCE OF JAWBONE AND GUM TISSUE DENSITY
Because the dental implants are embedded into the bone and gum tissue, it’s imperative that patients have ample bone and gum tissue in place prior to the procedure. The bone and gum tissue will be used to anchor the implant in place. Of course, bone loss and gum recession are both unfortunate side effects of tooth loss, which may mean that not enough hard and soft tissue is present for the procedure to be successful.
GRAFTING PROCEDURES FOR BONE AND GUM TISSUE
If a patient does not have enough bone or gum tissue in place, a bone grafting and/or gum augmentation procedure can be performed. These types of surgeries use special donor tissue or artificial grafts to increase the mass of hard and soft tissue in areas that are lacking. Keep in mind that these additional surgeries will add time and increase the cost to the overall treatment process.
KNOWING THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Before undergoing any kind of procedure that involves oral surgery, it’s important that patients be aware of the risks and the benefits. This helps provide patients with a better understanding of the potential complications that may be faced and what they can do to help reduce the risk of these negative effects.
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Getting dental implants placed is an involved process that takes months to complete. This allows osseointegration to occur, which means the fusion of the dental implant(s) with the gum and bone tissue. Treatment times can take up to a year, and even more when gum grafting and bone augmentation are required.
Having realistic expectations helps improve the treatment process and leads to better overall patient satisfaction.
CONTACT OUR PRACTICE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS
If you would like to learn more about dental implants and if they are the right option for you and your needs, be sure to contact our advanced dental care center today. Dr. Mounir Iskandar and the entire team here looks forward to your visit and discussing these dental care options with you.