Know the ideal way to get dental implants with experienced doctors in Chicago.

In many cases, tooth or teeth loss is noticed as a result of significant decay, gum disease, or other complications. Most people who have missing one or more permanent natural teeth consider dental implants over dentures and dental bridges as they closely resemble real teeth in form, feel, and function. Dental implants are the gold standard dental restoration option that is highly desirable for many many reasons. Firstly, they are titanium posts that get secure into the jawbone to serve as the fake roots of the replacement tooth/teeth which could be a dental crown, bridge, or denture. They completely restore the entire structure of the missing tooth or teeth, can last for lifetime, and have high success rates. Other benefits of having them includes:

• Preserve jawbone health and prevents facial sagging
• Prevents remaining teeth from getting misaligned
• Preserves health of teeth adjacent to the lost tooth/teeth
• Fixed and secure inside the mouth; care and maintenance required the same as natural teeth
• Restored beautiful, complete smile; chewing ability, confidence, and clear speech
• No more fear of an embarrassing mishap, such as teeth coming out of the mouth while eating, coughing, sneezing, or laughing
• Greater comfort
• Improved overall life quality- more active and social lifestyle.

Despite these pros of getting dental implants, dental implants are not an appropriate choice for everyone with missing natural teeth. Keep reading to learn about what determines candidacy for dental implants and what is the right age for getting dental implants or if there are any age restrictions on their placement.    

 Who is a Suitable Candidate to Get Dental Implants?

Those who are considering getting dental implants will be required to be evaluated by a dentist to determine if their smile can support such dental restorations. The success of dental implant surgery is decided by the evaluation of the candidate’s jawbone through dental X-rays to ensure that there is sufficient healthy jawbone to hold the dental implant in place. Other than jawbone health, the health of teeth and gums must also be good to make dental implants a viable option for the candidate. Good candidates are non-smokers, physically fit adults, those who have reasonable expectations from the outcome of their implant surgery, those who are committed to following good oral hygiene, and those who are not suffering from any illnesses or taking any medications that could interfere with the successful placement of the dental implants. 

If candidates are serious about going ahead with implant placement, they may have to undergo additional procedures like bone grafting to rebuild their jawbone, thus preparing their smile for the best transformation.     

Is there any Age Restriction on Receiving Dental Implants?

Dental implants may be the right choice for any young adult or adult people who have faced tooth/teeth loss. Ideally, people aged above 18 years are the best candidates for dental implants. There is no age limit for the placement of dental implants. However, elderly patients may not find investing in dental implants right for them because of their low budget and might consider getting partial or full dentures or bridgework which are more affordable to meet their needs.   

Furthermore, there are the most significant differences between younger and older dental implant patients just as why the patient has suffered tooth loss. Generally, young adults lose their teeth because of accidents and trauma, while older adults lose them for natural reasons like gum disease and severe tooth decay. 

Am I Too Young to Get Tooth Implants?

Dental implants are not meant for infants, toddlers, or children who have not got their permanent teeth yet or even have not shown all their baby teeth. This covers children in the K-6 age and even teenagers.  

If  looking forward to getting dental implants, the candidates need to ensure that their jawbone is fully developed. In the majority of cases, the candidates fully developed jawbones when they entered late adolescence or early adulthood. However, the candidacy is confirmed for young patients only when dentists give a green signal that their jawbone is fully developed after doing an X-ray of their mouth. The jawbone health, mass, and unique development are the most important to consider when determining the suitability of the candidate for dental implants instead of just looking at the age of the candidate.

In some instances, the candidates seeking dental implants might reach their skeletal maturity when they are in their mid-20s. Therefore, it is very important to do a dental X-ray and determine the skeletal maturity of the candidate. If the candidates are aged below 18 years, they must take prior permission from their parents to undergo dental implant surgery. Usually, people aged below 18 years have their jawbone structure still getting matured, which means their jawbone structure is not completely developed and is not fixed. Their jawbone may continue to grow and change.      

Am I Too Old to Get Dental Implants? 

Technically speaking, no one can be too old to get their dental implants without any failure. According to dental experts, 50% of men and women who are aged above 65 years or are even in their 80s and 90s have at least one tooth missing and are still ideal candidates for getting dental implants. But, before implant surgery is carried out on these senior patients, the dentist needs to evaluate their general health. For some elderly patients who have long lived with removable dentures might face difficulty in getting accustomed to permanent fixed dental implants.    

What Age-Related Issues Affect the Candidacy of Getting Dental Implants?

Among elderly dental implant patients, there are many age-related health factors that might exclude them from being good candidates for dental implants. They might be suffering from serious illnesses that make implant surgery risky for their overall well-being. Moreover, senior patients who have lost tooth/teeth for years may have experienced significant jaw bone loss or gum recession over time. As such patients do not have much time to invest in additional surgeries like gum and bone grafting and they could only get dental implants when they have proper gum and jawbone tissue density in place, they might go for traditional bridges and dentures rather than dental implants.

When Should I Get Tooth Implants?

The best age to get dental implants is when your jawbone is fully developed and you have grown tired of facing the consequences of walking around with a missing tooth or teeth.

For more information on when to get your dental implants done, schedule a visit now at EON Clinics and consult with the best dental implant surgeon in Chicago.