4 Health Factors That Can Increase The Time And Cost Of Dental Implants

There is no better way to replace missing teeth than with dental implants. But dental implants work best in healthy mouths. If you have existing oral conditions, then these will need attention before dental implant placement is possible. Naturally, this will affect the cost and duration of your treatment.

If you have any of the following conditions, then these will need to be dealt with before your dentist can place your dental implants.

1. Badly decayed or damaged teeth

If you wish to replace one or more badly damaged or decayed teeth with dental implants, these teeth need to be extracted before placement. Professional extraction will increase the overall cost of your treatment. And you may need some downtime to allow your jaw to heal if the extraction is difficult, for instance, because of a lack of remaining tooth structure.

However, if your tooth extraction is a simple procedure with no infection or extensive surgery, your dentist may be able to place your dental implants immediately after extraction.

2. Tooth infections

If an infection is present, then your dentist will need to remove the infected material first before they can consider placing dental implants. After surgery, you'll need at least several weeks for the site to heal before dental implant surgery can commence. Infection can cause dental implants to fail, which is why it is so important to remove infected material prior to dental implant surgery.

3. Poor jawbone density

Dental infections and the body's natural response to tooth loss sometimes mean that there isn't enough bone to support a dental implant. In this case, a bone graft will be necessary. The bone graft will take several months to heal, after which you'll have enough bone to support a dental implant. However, a bone graft will add additional cost and healing time to your treatment plan.  

4. Periodontal disease

If periodontal disease or gum disease is present, your dentist will need to treat this before your implants can be placed. Gum disease can cause dental implants to fail. This treatment involves removing bacteria from the gum pockets around your teeth. These areas will need to heal fully before you can proceed with dental implant surgery.

These conditions will affect the cost of your dental implants and increase your treatment time. But once your dentist has treated these problems, they can then place your dental implants. In a healthy mouth, dental implants can last a lifetime.  


Share