Dental implants, the most state-of-the-art tooth replacement system on the market, have a very high success rate, estimated to be as much as 95%*. Still, some Galesburg dental patients who have dental implants surgically inserted into their mouths will have implant instability or failure meaning the implants either fall out or need to be removed. At AOS, we want all of our dental implants patients to be as informed as possible about what they should do in order to achieve implants success, which is why we have prepared this list of factors that influence dental implant success.
- You’re a Non-Smoker.
Everyone understands that smoking is bad for their health, including Galesburg residents. But did you know that smoking is one of the worst things you can do if you have dental implants? The reason is that your implants need to fuse with your jaw bone tissue. Smoking constricts blood flow and can interfere with this fusion process. Additionally, smoking can cause a rare, but real, complication to dental implants called peri-implantitis, and infection in your gums around your titanium dental implant.
- You Don’t Have Any Medical Conditions.
Certain conditions, such as diabetes, osteoporosis or having a compromised immune system are associated with dental implant failure. Having one of these medical conditions doesn’t exclude Galesburg patients from receiving dental implants, though. By working in conjunction with your primary care physician or disease specialist, our doctors can come up with a personalized treatment plan for you to increase your likelihood of dental implants success.*
- You Have Adequate Jaw Bone Tissue.
Because dental implants need to fuse with a Galesburg patient’s jaw bone tissue, you must have adequate jaw bone tissue to receive these tooth replacement systems. If you don’t, our doctors will likely recommend that you have a jaw bone grafting surgery prior to receiving your dental implants, so that you can “grow” enough jaw bone tissue to hold your dental implants securely in place.
- You Take Proper Care of Your Dental Implants.
Even if you have an entire mouth full of dental implants, you still need to care for them. This means that you need to brush your implants twice a day, floss once a day, use mouthwash to fight bacteria and see your dentist every six months for regular gum checks and implants cleanings.
If you follow these tips from Dr. Busch, Dr. Otte, and Dr. Schroeder, you have a much higher chance of achieving dental implant success, meaning that your implants will probably last you a lifetime*.
Contact Us With Any Questions
If you are considering dental implants to replace a single missing tooth, require one or more teeth to be extracted, or want a complete smile makeover, we want to be a resource for you. If you have any additional questions about what it takes to make sure your dental implant procedure is a success, contact us so that we can help you understand the steps you’ll need to take to keep your new smile as healthy as possible.
Reach out to us today by calling our Galesburg offices at (309) 232-8252.
