If you have heard of dental implants, you probably know they are modern tooth replacements that offer many benefits. Dental implants are considered the gold standard for tooth replacement because they look, feel, and function the most like natural teeth.
Dr. Holly Baller offers expert dental implant placement and restoration at Baller Dental & Ortho at Southlands Mall in Aurora, CO. Many people are excellent dental implant candidates, and millions already enjoy the benefits of tooth implants that feel like real teeth.
What Makes Someone a Candidate for Dental Implants?
A dental implant is a titanium replacement tooth root placed in a healthy jawbone. As the implant heals, it fuses securely with the bone and tissue around it. After several months, the replacement root becomes stable enough to restore with a dental crown.
To be a good implant candidate, your mouth must be free of gum disease, and the jawbone in the area must be dense and wide enough to support the titanium root. There might be insufficient bone because of previous tooth extraction, advanced gum disease, long-term denture wear, and trauma.
How We Determine if You're a Good Implant Candidate
The only way to know if you are a good candidate is to schedule an appointment with a dental implant dentist like Dr. Baller. She will perform a comprehensive examination complete with digital dental x-rays and 3-D cone beam CT scans.
Cone-beam scans provide a 3-D image that shows teeth, jaws, bone, soft tissue, sinuses, and nerve paths. This technology allows dentists to evaluate the quality and quantity of jawbone and determine if it's sufficient to place a dental implant.
Bone Grafting if You're Not a Good Implant Candidate
Don't be disappointed to hear that you don't have sufficient healthy bone for an implant. You may be a candidate for a procedure called bone grafting to build up the area and make it possible to get an implant in the future.
Your dentist uses your bone or donor bone deposited in the area and left to heal. Over several months, the graft takes hold and builds up the bone to the point that it is strong and healthy enough to support a dental implant.
Schedule with a Dental Implant Dentist in Aurora, CO
Dr. Baller loves helping patients rejuvenate their smiles and oral health with dental implants. She would be delighted to meet with you and perform an evaluation to see if you are a good implant candidate. Please call our dental office at Southlands Mall in Aurora to schedule an appointment.