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A common side effect of dealing with missing teeth for a long time is bone loss. If this happened to you, it can mean you’re not a good candidate for dental implants in Jackson.
These artificial teeth require healthy bones for successful implantation. However, even so, there may be ways for you to resolve this issue and restore your smile.
Dental implants are artificial teeth that mimic the look and function of a natural tooth. They are composed of a metal post, an abutment, and a dental crown.
The metal post is made from titanium and is the element that gets inserted into the jaw. After around six months, the bone and soft tissues fuse to the implant, and the patient is ready to finish their reconstruction by placing the abutment and the dental crown.
An implant usually needs around 1 mm of bone surrounding it, though it can be more if it is next to another tooth or implant.
Dental implant posts have a specific length to effectively support both the abutment and the post. Insufficient mass can mean the post doesn’t fit properly into the socket, in which case the implant procedure is impossible.
Note that even if there is enough bone mass, you might still not be a good candidate for implants if the bone isn’t healthy. Your missing tooth has caused the bone to shrink due to a lack of stimulation and nutrients.
This means the bone is currently unhealthy, and even if an implant is inserted, it might not properly heal around the implant, increasing the risk of failure.
Patients with bone loss can still get dental implants if they have additional procedures designed to restore their jawbone, such as a sinus lift or a bone graft.
No matter how severe the bone loss is, depending on how long you’ve had missing teeth, these procedures can effectively restore mass and help the bone heal. This means you can eventually get a dental implant inserted into the socket to replace your teeth.
Today, you have many more options for replacing missing teeth, even if you’re not a good candidate for dental implants and can’t get any bone restoration procedures.
For instance, if you have just 1-2 missing teeth, dental bridges could be a simple solution. For more serious damage or tooth loss, full and partial dentures can also be appropriate.
Are you thinking about getting dental implants but are dealing with bone loss?
Dr. Pako Major can help you find out if you’re a good candidate for them and if your bone can be restored through a graft or sinus lift.