Talking About Health And Medical Care

When you have a missing space in your mouth and you want a new tooth to replace it, your overall health matters. Dental implant technology requires that you are a non-smoker, that you don't have current gum disease, and that you will have the ability to heal once an implant is placed into your jaw. If you are a diabetic, this means that your blood sugar levels must be under control to get the surgery. The good news is, if you are a smoker who needs dental implants, you can get them if you quit smoking. When you want to replace missing teeth in your mouth, dental implants are an effective, permanent solution for you to consider.

If You are a Diabetic

People that are diabetic who have blood sugar levels that are out of control have a decreased ability to heal after dental implants. This can lead to infection, and a complete failure of the implant to fuse to the jaw bone underneath. In addition, many diabetics suffer from gum disease, another reason your dentist won't perform implant surgery. If you don't have gum disease and your blood sugar levels are controlled, you are considered a viable candidate for dental implants.

Why Smokers Can't Get Dental Implants

The mere act of smoking is a detriment to dental implants. The sucking motion caused from smoking, as well as the dry mouth that smoking causes, prevents implants from fusing to the jaw bone. Smokers also tend to lack circulation in their gums because of a lack of oxygen, and this further prohibits the healing process. If you have missing teeth and you really want to get implants, you will need to quit smoking until they completely heal. The process can take up to six months for your implants to be permanent in your mouth.

The implant surgery itself is done in the dental office, and is not a complicated surgery. A small titanium rod is placed into your jaw bone and allowed to heal in place. This can take several months to become secure. Your dentist has two options, to place the crown on the titanium rod immediately, or wait until the rod has embedded into your jaw bone. You can discuss these choices with a dentist likeOral Surgery Center to see which one will work for you. Once the tooth is permanent, you treat your dental implants just like you treat your regular teeth.