Am I Too Old For Dental Implants
Brea, CA
 It is never too late to get a dental implant. If there is sufficient bone to support the implant, it may be inserted. To determine if there is enough bone for the procedure, the dentist will need to do a CT scan. Avoid waiting. Implants may typically be had regardless of age. However, some illnesses associated with aging may affect the effectiveness of implants. The success rate of the implant will also depend on how long it has been since the tooth was lost and how much bone is there. You might want to think about bone grafting or augmentation.
While you may need a smile makeover, the thought of implant dentistry can be intimidating. But it doesn't have to be that way. At Brea Implant & Cosmetic Dentistry, our doctors Dr. Michael Han and will guide you through the entire cosmetic dentistry process to help you get back that winning smile.
Cosmetic Dentistry Options
There is no age beyond which a person could be deemed ineligible for dental implants. Even in their 80s and beyond, many people get the surgery. A person's suitability as a candidate is determined on a case-by-case basis. The main consideration is a person's general health and surgical tolerance. The jawbone's density is a significant additional component to take into account. The jawbone mass must be adequate for the implants to be securely anchored. A bone augmentation surgery could be helpful in certain people with inadequate bone. Additionally, this would be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Last but not least, a candidate's smoking history may have a greater impact on the decision than that candidate's age. Smokers are far more likely than non-smokers to experience implant failure. Smokers with tooth loss are highly advised to give up their habit before having dental implant surgery, providing they are otherwise healthy candidates.
Factors to Consider
In addition to being the main reason for tooth loss, gum disease is also the main reason dental implants fail. Age-related gum disease is also on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 70 percent of persons 65 and older have gum disease. We can frequently treat your gum disease to keep your implants safe. Your body starts to eliminate bone when you lose teeth because it believes the bone is no longer required. The less bone you have left to sustain implants, the longer you have gone without teeth. We can strengthen your bone with a bone transplant, but it will take longer. When replacing a full arch of teeth, options like the All-on-4® Treatment Concept can provide an alternative to bone transplants.
Some drugs might make an implant more likely to fail or develop other issues. We'll go through your medications with you and explain any potential hazards. Radiation treatment is another factor that might seriously complicate dental implants. We may advise delaying obtaining implants or opting against them if you recently underwent radiation treatment for head or neck cancer.
Every person deserves to have good dental health at every stage of life. Unfortunately, many people lack teeth. Dental implants have long been regarded as a preferable therapeutic choice regardless of age. Dental implants protect bone density because, unlike dentures, they are firmly fixed into the jawbone. It's time to talk with an oral surgeon about whether dental implants would be the best option for you if you have lost teeth and are unhappy with your dentures. |
