Dental implants are able to help you maintain a normal life without worrying about the effect of missing teeth on your chewing, speaking and smiling. There are certain factors to consider when choosing the right dental implant for your situation but this is something you can decide with the assistance of your dentist.

If you are wondering when do I need dental implants, tooth loss is the main reason that people consider this treatment option. Tooth loss can be caused by many things such as decay, trauma and other dental issues. But you need to make sure that you address your missing tooth or teeth as soon as you can as waiting for a long time can lead to more oral problems. For example, the teeth adjacent to the missing tooth can shift their position and also when there is significant tooth loss, your jawbone will not have enough stimulation leading to bone loss. And this can cause certain changes to your facial structure and you will notice that your face is appearing to be more sunken. Bone density is an important factor for dental implants as the implants are integrated with the jawbone. And you need to have sufficient bone density for this to happen. If there is extensive bone loss, you may need to go through bone grafting before dental implants. And this will ensure the jawbone quality is improved sufficiently to aim for success in your implant surgery.

You will also need to take some time off to heal if you have undergone a tooth extraction recently.

It is not recommended to proceed to a dental implant immediately after as the extraction site needs to heal. This is when the socket has to close so that you will have a better chance when it comes to implant stability. You will be advised by your dentist on when the implant can be placed once you undergo extraction. If you have recently suffered from gum disease and undergone treatment for it, you will need t wait till your gums are healed before you can have dental implants. Gum disease can affect the success of the procedure so implants have to be placed when your oral health is at a stable level.

Your overall health should also be at a good level to undergo the implant procedure.

It is a surgical procedure and if you currently have certain chronic medical conditions or if you are taking medications for something, you will need to consult with both your dentist and medical doctor so that they can decide whether you are in sufficient good health for the procedure to take place. In addition to be physically healthy, you should be in a good mind space to go ahead with this procedure. There will be changes in your oral health as a result of the dental implants and you have to get ready to take these changes and make the best of it. You need to be in a positive frame of mind to get yourself ready for the procedure and the aftercare that follows.