Dental implants are often a popular choice for SF patients who need to replace lost teeth for either cosmetic or medical reasons. They are often a more effective long-term solution than dentures because they are stronger and do not require the same level of day-to-day maintenance. However, having dental implants put in is still a surgical procedure, and as such, a patient in SF must be considered a good candidate before they can undergo the implantation.
One of the more common things that prevent a potential patient from being able to undergo this procedure is having periodontitis, which is an advanced form of gum disease. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, three out of every four people have some sort of gum disease, which means many dental implant candidates will be dealing with this affliction. Is having periodontal disease a complete disqualifier for having dental implants?
Understanding How the Implants Work
The reason why periodontal disease affects whether a potential patient is able to have dental implants or not has to do with the way in which the implants are installed and function. The implant must be anchored to the bone underneath the gum in order to function correctly. If the gums are inflamed or suffering from some other symptom of periodontal disease, it makes them an unfit site to safely perform surgery on.
Can a Patient with Periodontal Disease Still Have Dental Implants?
If an SF candidate for dental implants has periodontal disease and wants to undergo the procedure, they do have options available to them. The first and most important step they need to undertake is to get the periodontal disease under control.
Often, this means going to a periodontist. They are trained specialists in a very specific field of dentistry, namely the field of gums. An easy way to understand this is that all periodontists are dentists, but not all dentists are periodontists. Anyone who has been told their periodontal disease is too severe to have implants put in must first get their condition under control with the help of a periodontist. Once they have successfully managed to do this, they can then return to the oral surgeon and see if the procedure can be successfully completed.
Stop Periodontal Disease in Its Early Stages
In order to ensure a potential patient is a good candidate for dental implants, they should be gingivitis free. If a patient has been told they have gingivitis, they should work on getting it treated immediately, as it is an early form of periodontal disease. This condition can be treated with the help of a dentist and daily oral care. Stopping gingivitis from progressing will increase the viability of a patient’s candidacy.
If you are in need of dental implants or would like more information on how to treat gingivitis and periodontal disease and are based in San Francisco, please do not hesitate to contact our doctors at SF Oral Surgery. Our staff always prioritizes our patients’ comfort and health and can be reached online or at (415) 776-6710.
