Am I a Candidate for Implants?![]() General HealthIn particular, you should have good dental health and good general health. You should also not smoke or take any medications that may hinder the healing process. If you have good overall health, then you should qualify as a candidate. Provided that you’re healthy, your age will provide no hindrance to surgery. Gum DiseaseDental health issues damage regular teeth, and they can harm dental implants as well. If you presently have or have ever had gum disease, that may damage your dental implants. We can provide treatment for gum disease and monitor your mouth to see if it returns, but the risk is still there. Other Health ConcernsDuring your consultation, Dr. June Daniel Hong will go over your overall health and determine if you qualify as a candidate. If you have any conditions that will impact your dental health, that is something you need to tell us during your consultation. You cannot have dental implants put in if you recently had or plan to have radiation therapy for your jaw. There are some conditions that can make implants more difficult. The ability to heal timely is vital to the success of this dental procedure. There are certain medical conditions that can decrease a person’s ability to heal, including diabetes, certain cancer treatments, medications that you are taking, or the smoking of tobacco. All of these conditions can be managed if we know your full medical history, and we can work with your personal physician to adjust medications, or get your condition, such as insulin levels, or to limit smoking during this time, to help increase your rate of healing before surgery. MedicationsCertain medications can cause problems during the healing period for dental implant surgery. The most common offenders are antidepressants and bisphosphonates (which are osteoporosis medications).
SmokingIf you smoke, the risk of implant failure goes up by three times or more. We encourage quitting completely, but if you can quit for the duration of the surgery and healing period, it should work. Denture PatientsPeople who have dentures are good candidates for implants. Dental implants are superior to dentures in both appearance and function, and if you’re wearing full dentures, we won’t need to remove any teeth. Are Implants Right for You?If you would like more information about dental implants, contact For more information, please contact Watermark Dentistry at (206) 242-5808 to schedule a consultation appointment. |