Dental implants in Asheville, NC, owe their popularity to many of their benefits; they’re a lasting, one-time investment, they will never get cavities, and you can’t tell them apart from your natural teeth at first glance. However, like a good pair of shoes, dental implants must be a proper fit to enhance your oral health and improve your looks. Even though only a professional can determine if dental implants will help or hinder your smile, find out which common factors might not make you a good match for these artificial porcelain pearls.
Factors That Make You Unsuitable for Dental Implants
Bad Oral Health
No respectable dentist will fix dental implants to your smile if your natural teeth and gums are in shambles. Not brushing your teeth properly or frequently enough can have terrible repercussions for your smile. With improper care practices, your mouth ends up hosting tons of bacteria and food remains that settle on your tooth surface. If you pair this detrimental habit with avoiding dentist visits and making sugar a cornerstone of your diet, you’ll deal a heavy blow on your teeth and might not be ready for a dental implant. Luckily, your dentist will try to restore your health and get you on the right track for this treatment.
Improper Jawbone Density
If you want dental implants, oral health is not the only factor that comes into play, as your jaw must also have the proper density. Aside from chopping your food into smaller pieces and helping you utter certain sounds, your teeth support and stimulate your jaw, preventing bone loss and face sinking. However, due to age, early tooth loss, or jaw size, this facial bone might not be strong enough to hold your dental implant in place, making this tooth replacement an unsuitable option.
Before your oral surgery, your dentist will do an x-ray to determine if your jaw is prepared to receive dental implants, so you don’t reject your new tooth or get a dangerous infection.
Smoking
Even if your jawbone and teeth are in proper shape, you might not get a green light for dental implants if you’re a smoker. Over 12% of people in the US use cigarettes, and abusing this substance every day means terrible news for your teeth. When your teeth absorb tobacco, they become yellow and stained and have a harder time fighting against bacteria in your mouth. As a result, smokers are at a higher risk of getting cavities and suffering from gum disease, and their mouths can be out of shape for dental implant surgery. Smokers also heal more slowly after surgery, increasing their chances of rejecting new implants.
Teeth Grinding
Like smoking, grinding your teeth can be another damaging characteristic that might disqualify you from dental implant surgery. When you suffer from bruxism, you force your upper and lower jaw against one another, hurting your enamel and, sometimes, causing tooth cracks or fractures. Since grinding will do the same number on your dental implants, you must deal with this problem first and then consider replacing your teeth.
Looking for Dental Implants in Asheville, NC?
Getting dental implants can change your life for the better, but you should let professionals assess your oral health and daily habits before giving this replacement a try. Our team can look at your smile and do their best to improve it. Book an appointment today!