Health and its importance concerning dental implants

If you have missing teeth as an adult, you have probably been looking on the internet to search for a viable solution. You will undoubtedly have come across oral implants. Affixed to the jaw via surgery, oral implants can provide a stable alternative to dentures and bridges, allowing for a prosthetic tooth or teeth to be attached without the need for dental adhesives.

So, after surgery, you can have a set of teeth that can last up to over 20 years, will look natural and will allow you to bite into food as you did when you had your full set of original teeth. It’s easy to see why oral implants are popular!

When you come to High Dental to meet with our team to discuss having dental implants Melbourne fitted, we will assess the health of your mouth to ascertain whether or not this is a feasible option for you. There are certain health complications which can make the fitting of implants a bit more difficult, which we will need to ensure are not occurring.

With that in mind, what are some of the contraindicated issues that can prevent the successful fusing of dental implants Melbourne? Read on to find out!

Gum disease

Gum disease can cause natural teeth to come loose and fall out and in the same vein, it can also cause dental implants Melbourne to do the same. When you attend your initial consultation with our team to have an assessment for implants, we will be on the lookout for signs of gum disease. If we see that you are indeed suffering from gingivitis or periodontal disease, we will need to ensure that it is treated before we proceed.

Osteoporosis

This is more common in older patients who want to have oral implants fitted, but needs to be mentioned here all the same. Osteoporosis is a disorder in which the bone becomes more brittle. Luckily it can be detected using X-rays which we can perform in our surgery and we will need to ask you for a full medical questionnaire when you attend the assessment. If you have osteoporosis, this does not exclude you from having implants fitted, rather it makes the process a bit more complex!

Autoimmune disorders

There are many autoimmune disorders that people can suffer from and while some of these may have a direct impact on the density of the bone in your jaw, in the majority of cases it is actually the medication which is used to manage these conditions which causes the bigger issue. This is because the majority of medications used to treat autoimmune conditions are immunosuppressants, which can cause problems with the healing process after the fitting of implants, increasing the risk of infection. If you have an autoimmune disease and are taking immunosuppressants, please talk to our team and your doctor before proceeding with all implants.

Diabetes

Diabetes itself is not an excessive risk to the fitting of oral implants, but poorly managed diabetes is, because much like the immunosuppressants it can slow the body’s ability to heal. If you have diabetes and are not currently managing it, but want oral implants, you should meet with your doctor to discuss management options first.

Smoking and drinking

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol heighten the risk of mouth cancer generally and both can be hazardous to the fitting of all implants. Why? Because they both increase the chances of gum disease developing and so, if you want to have oral implants fitted, you should aim to cut back or quit both of these lifestyle habits before proceeding.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.