Dental problems are not age-specific and hence there is no dental treatment that applies to a specific age bracket. However, there are certain restrictions that apply to dental procedures depending on how rigorous they are and how difficult it is to recover from them.
In that sense, a dentist near you might advise a thorough check-up of your oral and overall health before recommending a dental implant for your lost tooth. This applies to all ages be it under 18 or over 80.
THE PROCESS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS
After tooth extraction or losing a tooth in an accident, the muscles around the jawbone tend to become loose due to the gap that now exists. This poses many further health issues such as teeth moving out of their positions, which can be avoided by a dental implant.
In this procedure, a titanium post is used to replace the roots of the tooth. Over time, the titanium post stimulates and bonds with the surrounding bone to simulate the actual dental root. This process is called Osseointegration and is the backbone of the success of dental implant treatment. After this has worked, your dentist in Red Deer will go on to place the abutment and crown over the post, to complete the procedure. It takes around 2-3 months for the entire process, and if done well, can last a lifetime.
HEALTH FACTORS THAT DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF DENTAL IMPLANTS
Oral health – The patient needs to have good oral health to undergo and sustain the dental implant surgery. By ‘good oral health’ we basically mean that the bone quality around the implant site should be sufficient, among other things. Most people qualify for this condition but there is some whose bone quality might not be conducive to a dental surgery of this magnitude. In those cases, the bone may not accept the titanium post inserted making the structure unstable.
Young adults under the age of 18 may not have their jawbones completely developed, making dental implants unsuitable for them. Oral health is generally good in younger persons but that does not mean it would be any less in older people.
Overall health – The overall health of a person is a big decider in discerning the eligibility for procedures, especially those that are invasive. A dental implant is an invasive surgery and thus it is somewhat essential that the patient does not have any medical complexities. Although that is not to say that people with pre-existing medical conditions like diabetes or heart issues cannot be a candidate for dental implants. It only means that the overall health conditions will decide the length of the recovery period.
It is possible to be too young to receive dental implants in Red Deer, but not really “too old”.
Lifestyle – Dental implants are highly recommended for athletes and people who are very physically active. It is common for people involved in high adrenaline sports to get injuries that might result in tooth loss. Since the nature of their lifestyle involves excessive physical activity, dentures or bridges may not be such a good idea for them as these could come loose during rigorous action on the field. Dental implants are the best option in these circumstances as they can be a permanent solution to tooth loss.
While on your search for dental implants near you, please consider meeting with our team at Saby Dental in Red Deer. We are always happy to provide any information or encouragement you need!