Have you lost one, several, or all of your teeth? Unfortunately, it’s no secret that tooth loss becomes more common with age. While you could opt for removable dentures or a traditional dental bridge, these classic restorations aren’t your only options anymore! Dental implants in Lady Lake are the gold standard of tooth replacement, and they bypass nearly every drawback of dentures and bridges! However, you may be wondering if your age will get in the way of rebuilding your smile with dental implants. The answer may surprise you! Read on to find out more.
How Dental Implants Compare to Dentures & Bridges
First, let’s take a look at how dental implants set themselves apart from traditional tooth loss solutions like dentures and dental bridges. These classic restorations only replace the crowns of your missing teeth, which is the part above your gumline. The roots remain missing, which inevitably leaves the denture or dental bridge less function and stable than a natural tooth.
A dental implant is resigned to rebuild a missing tooth from the roots up with a small titanium post. It’s placed directly into the jawbone to replace the missing root structure and give a strong foundation for a custom-made dental crown, bridge, or denture. Dental implants offer a wealth of benefits that you simply can’t get with other tooth replacement options, and they look, feel, and function just like natural teeth!
Age Vs. Dental Implants
Simply put, there is no upper age limit to get dental implants. That being said, a patient needs to have three key qualities before being considered a good candidate for dental implants:
- Good health
- Great oral health
- Adequate jawbone density
As long as a patient has these qualities, then dental implants are a good choice for them! Unfortunately, many of these factors can become more problematic as the years go by. This is especially true about jawbone density, as the jawbone naturally shrinks away after tooth loss. Fortunately, even if you’re not initially a good candidate for dental implants, there’s a very good chance that your dentist can help you become one!
Becoming a Good Dental Implant Candidate
If you’re interested in getting dental implants, you’ll need to see your dentist for a consultation. From there, they’ll be able to tell you if you need to undergo any preliminary treatments to become a good candidate. In some cases, they may work with your primary care physician to help get your general health on track for dental implants. In other cases, they may recommend a treatment like gum disease therapy or a tooth extraction to make sure your mouth is healthy enough to support your new smile. In many cases, if you don’t have enough jawbone density, they’ll recommend specialized procedures like a bone graft to help you get the foundation you need for your new teeth!
You deserve to have a healthy, confident, and complete smile no matter how old you are. To get started on your dental implant journey, call your dentist today!
About the Practice
At RP Dental & Implants, our dentists Dr. Patel and Dr. Wadsworth are proud to offer a variety of personalized, high-quality services to smiles of all ages in Lady Lake and the surrounding community. They’ve outfitted our practice with the latest dental technology and offer state-of-the-art treatments like dental implants. In fact, we’re proud to perform every step of dental implant treatment right here in our office! To learn more about dental implants, we can be reached online or at (352) 750-0008.