Dental Implant Candidacy - Rogers, AR - Topeka, KS

Just as disease-free gums are essential for healthy natural teeth, your soft tissue is the cornerstone of successful dental implantation. A gum infection around dental implants can lead to an aggressive inflammatory condition called peri-implantitis and even dental implant failure. If you have gum disease, this must be resolved before surgery to prevent postoperative complications, ensure proper osseointegration (fusion) of the implants, and achieve a successful long-term outcome.

When you have missing teeth, your jawbone slowly starts to deteriorate, a process known as resorption. Dental implants require adequate bone density and volume to integrate with your jawbone and provide a strong foundation for crowns. Before replacing missing teeth, Dr. Smith treats bone loss using guided tissue regeneration and bone morphogenetic proteins. Bone augmentation spurs new bone growth in the empty socket, stabilizing the area and creating new, healthy bone.

Underlying medical conditions, especially when improperly controlled (e.g., diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and immune system disorders), make it more difficult for your body to heal after surgery. In addition, certain medications, such as steroids or drugs that suppress your immune system, can impair implant fusion. Cardiovascular disease, bleeding disorders, and immune deficiency present considerable challenges that require advanced skills and special precautions.

It’s a long-documented fact that smoking is detrimental to your oral and general health. Tobacco can impair the fusion of dental implants because it reduces infection resistance, delays wound healing, and decreases blood flow. We recommend quitting smoking for a period before surgery and sustaining it until the osteointegration process is complete. Aside from tobacco use, medications such as bisphosphonates, corticosteroid therapy, and irradiation therapy in the head or neck area can lead to complications.