What is the Eligibility Criteria for Dental Implants?

Dental implants are renowned for both a long installation process and a long lifespan.

While the implants take months to settle into your jawline and require healing time before a permanent false tooth can be screwed in place, the results can last for years – even decades. In fact, dental implants are so secure and so high in quality that in most cases, it’s virtually impossible to tell which tooth is false and which are natural.

With that in mind, what needs to happen in order for a patient to be considered an eligible candidate for dental implants in Essex, and how do you know if this is the right treatment for you?

What is a Dental Implant?

A dental implant is a solution to help fill the gap left behind by a missing tooth.

While most consider the dental implant to be the entire structure and replacement tooth, in fact, the implant refers solely to the titanium screw which is embedded (or implanted) into the jawline in place of a tooth root. Once this screw has been implanted and allowed time to heal, a replacement tooth can be crafted to match the surrounding set of teeth.

Eligibility Criteria for Dental Implants

Obviously, a dental implant is only required by a patient who is missing a tooth or teeth – either as a result of an injury or accident.

However, this is not the only criteria that we use to determine eligibility.

Patients who need a dental implant will also need to undergo a full oral health assessment, during which we will assess their occlusion, the stability and strength of their jawbone, and whether the jawbone has sufficient volume to support the implant. Good oral hygiene is essential pre and post-implant, with lifestyle factors also taken into consideration to protect the lifespan of the dental implant.

How to Know if You Need a Dental Implant

Now that we know a little more about the eligibility criteria for dental implants and how they work, it’s time to consider whether it’s the right treatment option for you.

A dental implant is a long-term solution for anyone who is missing a tooth or teeth, and who wants to regain both the confidence and convenience of a full set of teeth again. A gap in your set of teeth, regardless of its location, can have a debilitating effect on how easy it is to eat, communicate and brush – not to mention the impact it has on your smile and how confident you feel.

If you’ve lost a tooth as a result of an accident or injury, a dental implant can help bridge the gap in your smile and restore your teeth to full use. Find out more about this treatment and the options available to you by getting in touch with your local dentist.