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Teaching Your Children About the Dentist

Are You A Candidate For Full Mouth Dental Implants? Take This Quick Test To Find Out!

16 October 2015

Alfred Kelley

When you are missing all your teeth, removable dentures may seem like a less-than-ideal solution. Many people fear removable dentures because they are exactly that: Removable. They could come loose at all the wrong times, or start to shift around uncomfortably. All in all, removable dentures may just seem too different from the natural teeth that they're meant to replace.

For this reason, many people are interested in full mouth dental implant restoration when they lose all their teeth. With full mouth implants, the new teeth are a permanent part of the mouth - no removal necessary. Even better, you can care for dental implants just like you care for natural teeth. Dental implants can be the perfect solution - but only if you're the right candidate. While not everyone qualifies for this type of tooth replacement, many people will. Take the test below to find out if you may be a candidate.

Are Your Gums Healthy?

Healthy gums are are firm to the touch, with little-to-no shifting. When your gums are healthy, they should not bleed when you're flossing or brushing. Color is another good indicator of gum health: Healthy gums are pink, while red gums may indicate gum disease or inflammation.

While all of these indicators are helpful, remember that your dentist is the ultimate authority on whether your gums are healthy enough for full mouth dental implants. For full mouth dental implants, the gums must be uniformly healthy all through the mouth, so the dentist will need to check the gums to be sure that every area is able to support the implants.

Do You Have Sufficient Bone Density in the Jaw?

Jawbone density may sound like something that would be hard for the average person to determine, but in most cases, it's actually not all that difficult. Most people who have never had any portion of their jaw bone removed or who haven't lost bone density due to osteoporosis or other medical issues have sufficient bone density to support dental implants.

Your dentist will need to evaluate your jaw to make sure that there are no hidden issues, as well. If you do have any bone loss in the jaw, it is possible that you can still get dental implants, but this would require a partial surgical rebuilding of the bone. As with the gums, it is best if the jaw is uniformly healthy so it can provide the best support for the implants.

Do You Have an Established Oral Healthcare Routine?

While it may seem like a silly question, the fact is that some people lose their teeth due to simple lack of routine oral healthcare. Dental implants are a commitment, and they require vigilant oral healthcare. This doesn't mean that you have to spend endless hours on your teeth every day, but you do need to be firmly committed to regular thorough brushing and flossing the entire mouth daily.

If you lost your teeth because you didn't brush very often, never flossed, and generally ignored oral healthcare, you can't expect different results with dental implants. They need to be treated much like healthy natural teeth do (and possibly even more carefully!) If you don't have an oral healthcare routine already in place, you need to make some changes to be an ideal candidate for dental implants. If you already have good oral healthcare habits, you may be ready to care for dental implants.

If you can say "Yes!" to the three questions above, you've passed the pre-qualifying test for dental implant eligibility. The next step is a visit to your dentist for a more in-depth evaluation. For more information, contact Tijeras Dental Service or a similar location.

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