When you had your teeth removed to prepare for dentures , you might not have been ready to commit to dental implants. You might have thought you could adapt to dentures. But time has proven that you just are having too much trouble with your dentures and you now would like to get dental implants. Is that still possible?
In most cases, yes.
The Sooner the Better
One of the biggest issues for getting dental implants after having dentures is that your body removes bone from your jaw once your teeth are gone. Without the stimulation of teeth, your body just thinks the bone isn’t necessary any more. But dental implants depend on that bone for support, so we want to act before too much is removed.
Bone is lost fastest in the first six months after your teeth are removed, but it continues over time, and sometimes a poorly-fitting denture can speed the rate of tooth loss.
Is Your Mouth Healthy?
Getting dental implants also depends on having a healthy environment for them. This shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve been keeping up on your oral hygiene and denture maintenance. But if you have gum disease or other oral health conditions, we may want to treat them before we place your dental implants.
We may also have to ask you for additional commitment regarding the future treatment of your dental implants. Dental implants can last for decades, but they depend on good oral hygiene habits to protect them from gum disease. If you’ve been having difficulty maintaining your dentures, dental implants might not be right for you.
Why Do You Want Them?
There are many ways that dental implants can improve your experience with dentures, mostly related to their function. If you are having difficulty chewing or talking, dental implants are more likely to be the best choice for you.
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your dentures or if you are experiencing denture pain, we might be able to get good results without dental implants, although dental implants can help in these cases, too.
If you have had dentures for a while and want to talk about dental implants in Columbia, SC, please call (803) 781-9090 for an appointment with a denture dentist at Smile Columbia Dentistry.
