Dental implants; health issue FAQs answered

Are you eager to have oral implants fitted?

While these nifty restoratives grow in popularity, more and more people are enquiring with our team into health-related conditions that may impact their suitability for implants.

At our surgery, our experienced team has fitted many dental implants Melbourne and advises our patients on their suitability for implants based on their general health. We can discuss other restorative procedures too, so you will always leave our surgery with the smile that you want and deserve! Great!

Here, we answer common questions that we receive about dental implants Melbourne concerning pre-existing medical conditions and viability of this procedure.

Can I have implants fitted if I have osteoporosis?

The research surrounding dental implants Melbourne does not point to a specific issue relating to the fitting of implants and osteoporosis.

The success rate is noted to be slightly higher however, if you have osteoporosis and have the implants fitted immediately after the teeth are removed. Concerning longevity, there is a higher chance that if you have osteoporosis, you may lose the implants sooner. Our team will be able to discuss this with you in more detail at your consultation based on your clinical presentation and medication regime.

I have diabetes; will my implant fail?

Much like osteoporosis, there is no strong evidence to suggest that having diabetes will impact your ability to maintain implants.

However, what can occur with poorly controlled diabetes is a delay in the fusing time; as diabetes can lead to injuries taking longer to heal, the fusing and healing post-implant fitting can take longer. And so, our team will typically recommend getting any form of diabetes under control before having oral implants fitted, to ensure that there is not a delay with the fusing or healing process.

I’m taking warfarin; will this affect my implant fitting?

This is an area that would need to be discussed with your doctor; the cost and benefit ratio needs to be considered with blood-thinning medications, as you may need to temporarily suspend the medication to undertake the surgery, which would be dangerous based on your underlying health issues.

However, if you are taking warfarin or another blood-thinning medication as a preventive for blood clots, there may be no need to suspend the medication to have implants fitted. But once again, our team will need to work closely with your doctor to ensure that you are not in any danger.

Does having osteoporosis mean it will take longer for my implants to fuse?

Osteoporosis can mean that it takes longer for your implants to fuse once fitted, but depending on the severity, it may take the same amount of time as someone who does not have the condition.

Generally, if an implant has failed to fuse after 12 months, then we would consider it redundant and remove it.

I take immunosuppressant medication; do I need to come off of it to have implants fitted?

We would not advise a patient to come off of any medication without careful monitoring and consultations with their doctor.

And, in our experience with patients taking immunosuppressive medications, there is no need to stop a medication regime to have implants fitted.

DISCLAIMER

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