If you need to replace a missing tooth or have a tooth or teeth that need to be extracted, you should definitely consider dental implants. Join the many San Diego residents who have long known that dental implants are the most state-of-the-art tooth replacement option available, with a success rate of more than 90%.
Despite this high success rate, a small percentage of patients do experience complications. Periodontist Dr. Beck-Mayo sees a lot of patients from other dentists experiencing complications, who were probably not good candidates for dental implants, not properly informed about how to care for them, or they were not properly placed to begin with. This is why Dr. Beck-Mayo thoroughly screens her implants patients and reviews their medical health history, discussing any habits that may affect the success of dental implants, before deciding to move forward with treatment. Here’s a list of some of the most common factors that can help set you up for success with dental implants:
You Don’t Smoke or Vape
Smoking or vaping are two of the top reasons that dental implants fail. Smoking cigarettes or vaping can impair the ability of the bone and gum to heal around dental implants. Dental implants need to fuse with your jaw bone tissue in order to become a successful, permanent tooth replacement solution. If you smoke or vape, your blood flow is constricted, compromising bone healing, which could make this necessary fusion more difficult or even impossible. Additionally, nicotine compromises the healing of the gum around the implant. Without a strong, healthy seal of the gum to the implant, the risk of complications years later is significantly increased.
You’re Relatively Healthy
While San Diego residents may still be eligible for dental implants if they have pre-existing medical conditions, certain diagnoses are known to lead to the possibility of implant failure. These include conditions like diabetes, osteoporosis, compromised immune system, and even certain medications. Always make sure to disclose your full medical history to Dr. Beck-Mayo during your consultation, including any prescription or over-the-counter medications you may take. This will allow Dr. Beck-Mayo to determine if dental implants are right for you and openly discuss any potential risks to the long-term success of your implants.
You Have Adequate Bone
As we’ve already mentioned, the titanium surface of dental implants need to fuse with San Diego patients’ jaw bone in order to ensure implant success. This process is referred to as “osseointegration”. If your teeth have been missing for over a year, the bone in the area is likely to have collapsed, a process called bone resorption, and it may need to be regenerated or rebuilt to adequately support a dental implant. Similarly, if you have had an infection or any bone loss around a tooth that requires removal, often a bone graft procedure is required prior to implant placement to establish ample bone to ensure longterm implant success.
You Follow Proper Oral Hygiene
Immediately following implant placement, San Diego patients are on a restricted oral hygiene care regimen to protect the surgical site and allow it to heal properly. After a week or two, patients are instructed to resume regular proper oral hygiene, even on their dental implants. This means brushing twice a day, flossing once a day, and using antibacterial mouthwash daily, if recommended. Once the final restoration is attached to the implant, meticulous oral hygiene is imperative, as well as regular cleanings and periodic evaluations with Dr. Beck-Mayo. With proper care, dental implants can be successful for a lifetime, and Dr. Beck-Mayo is hear to help make that happen.
We Want You to Experience Implant Success!
At Southern California Periodontics & Implantology, Dr. Beck-Mayo wants all dental implants patients to experience 100% implant success. For this reason, Dr. Beck-Mayo carefully screens patients and discusses the proper way to care for implants, once the surgical site has healed, and after. We care about you and your oral health. To learn more, contact our office in San Diego today at (858) 635-6700.
