Who is a Candidate?
Portland, OR
 For those patients considering dental implants, they should be made aware that not everyone is a good candidate. The basic requirements are the patient being in solid oral health and good general health too. There also needs to be enough strong supportive bone structure for the dental implants to be secured to. Also, the patient’s mouth needs to be completely free of gum disease.
Dental implants can be used in a large number of dental applications. They can be used to secure bridge work, dentures, or crowns. If you have questions and are curious to know if you would be a good candidate for dental implants, please contact our office at Portland City Dental to get answers. Our professionals will be able to provide additional information and guide you in the right direction.
Who is not a Candidate?
Unfortunately, there are several indicators or risk factors which may come into play which may keep you from being a good candidate for dental implants. If you are over the age of 60 and have had radiation treatment for cancer, these can both be indicative of low bone density in the jawbone which is required to support the implant.
If patients are on medication which might stymie bone growth or have low estrogen levels due to being post-menopausal it might keep them from being a good candidate as well. Those with advanced gum disease, who smoke, or abuse alcohol are not good candidates either. The last factor is if the patient has diabetes.
These factors do not necessarily remove a person from being able to get dental implants, but it does mean there may be additional complications if dental implants are placed.
The high cost of dental implants can be a problem for some patients who are considering this solution.
Alternatives to Dental Implants
For those patients who are not good candidates for dental implants, there are other alternatives. Mini-implants are dental implants which are much smaller than standard ones. Because of their diminutive size, they require far less bone mass so those patients with less bone structure could still get this procedure done.
The All-on-4® Treatment Concept is also an alternative to traditional dental implants. This requires only four implants to be used to attach the dental appliances which is far less than traditional implants.
Noninvasive Options
There are some alternatives that are noninvasive and do not require any type of implant at all. The tooth-supported bridge is one such option. Just like it sounds, this option utilizes natural teeth to support the dental appliance. In this case a bridge to provide replacement teeth.
There are decided disadvantages to this particular option. Because the appliances are affixed to natural teeth, those teeth are put under far greater stress than normal. This can wear and erode them far quicker than natural erosion processes and can even lead to tooth decay and tooth loss.
If you are interested in further information about getting dental implants, or if you have questions regarding any optional procedures to dental implants, call Portland City Dental at (503) 256-7917 to schedule a consultation appointment or learn more about the benefits of dental implants.
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