11 May Can I Have Dental Implants If I Have Gum Disease?
Untreated gum disease can often result in tooth loss. As such, when patients have gum disease, it is common for them to question whether dental implants would be a suitable teeth replacement method for them.
Dental Implants Require Healthy Gums
To have dental implants, it is necessary and important to have healthy gums.
Dental implants resemble natural teeth in appearance and function. A dental implant is a titanium steel root that is inserted into the jawbone by a dentist to replace a missing tooth.
Post implant procedure, the dentist will wait four to six months for the implant to recover. The steel root really bonds to the jawbone throughout the healing phase in a process known as osseointegration. The success of this first stage is critical to the whole procedure’s success. If the implant fails to fuse, it will fall out just like natural teeth.
In the case of gum disease, depending on the progression of the disease, the jawbone may not be able to support the teeth. Untreated gum disease can also erode the gums, which means that the implant will not be well supported.
It Is Still Possible To Do Dental Implants Under Certain Conditions
If your gum disease has been treated and maintained for a period of time successfully, then you can consider dental implants. The final decision lies on the assessment of your condition with your dentist. Past gum disease can result in decreased bone volume where the tooth has been lost.
This can become even more pronounced if the patient has been wearing the denture for a long time. Dental implants will require sufficient bone for both short and long-term stability. Bone grafting may be required in similar scenarios.
If the soft tissues surrounding the implant are not firmly attached and thick, movement of the surrounding soft tissues might result in plaque entrapment around the dental implant. This is often the first step on the road to developing a peri-implant infection.
Once the implant has been placed and restored with a crown, patients need to commit to lifelong professional periodontal maintenance of both the implant and the teeth. Failure to do so might result in implant and costly revision surgery.
Treating Gum Disease To Prep For Dental Implants
The good news is that after completing certain treatments and procedures, people with any degree of gum disease can nearly always qualify for dental implants.
Patients with mild to moderate gum disease may only need to take steps to control the condition. This may require regular dental cleanings and adherence to a stringent oral hygiene regimen. A dentist may also advise the patient to refrain from smoking, chewing tobacco, or drinking alcohol, as these habits or drugs can obstruct the healing process.
Your dentist may also prescribe special mouth rinses or give a mix of various solutions to get your implant back on track, depending on the severity of the infection. Some of the possible treatment possibilities are antibiotics, surgery, laser therapy with surface cleaning, or antimicrobial therapy.
Peri-implantitis should not be overlooked; it can be both damaging and aggressive. A contaminated implant can cause more serious sickness, including damage to the heart and other body organs. Low-grade bacterial infections can have catastrophic repercussions if left untreated for a long time.
Can Gum Disease Affect My Dental Implants?
Gum disease can affect dental implants (peri-implantitis or peri-implant mucositis). This is similar to how natural teeth can develop reversible inflammation of the gums (gingivitis) or inflammation of the gums or loss of supporting bone (periodontitis).
Yearly x-rays of the bone and implants are crucial to monitor implant stability. Diabetes and smoking can also increase the risk for severe gum disease (around the implants and the teeth). Managing diabetes and quitting smoking should be part of the overall health maintenance.
