Am I a Candidate for All-On-X Dental Implants?
You look in the mirror and you’re not happy with how your smile looks. It’s normal to feel this way, especially if you have a fair share of missing teeth. You don’t feel your most confident but it doesn’t have to stay this way. All-on-X dental implants placed by our Jackson, MI, dentists can replace a full arch of teeth for a beautiful transformation.
Here’s what makes someone a candidate for the dental implant procedure and why this restoration serves as a great way to reinvent your smile.
Qualifications for Dental Implants
There are several factors that affect whether or not dental implants are the best method of tooth replacement for you. Our dentists will evaluate your mouth with an oral exam and take time to discuss the implantation procedure with you should it prove to be the most effective solution. If it turns out that a non-surgical option would suit you better, we can explore traditional dentures as well.
All-on-X dental implants may work for you if you have:
- Teeth missing due to extraction or dental emergency
- A jawbone that’s fully grown
- Plenty of bone to properly secure the implants or qualify for a bone graft
- No health conditions that will interfere with bone healing
- The desire to improve your speech
- No habit associated with tobacco products
- Time to commit several months to the healing and placement process
Don’t worry, during the time required for healing you won’t be without teeth. Our dentists will provide you with a temporary denture on top of the implants. Once the implants are properly fused to the bone, the permanent denture appliance will be placed over top.
Where Oral Hygiene Comes Into Play
The current state of your mouth greatly impacts your candidacy for All-on-X dental implants. If your oral health has been neglected, it may be difficult for the titanium posts to settle into a strong foundation, so to speak.
If you instead have kept up with brushing your teeth at least twice a day and flossing once daily, you’re in much better shape for the procedure. A healthy mouth is a happy mouth, after all. The oral care doesn’t just stop once you’ve had the dental implants and non-removable teeth placed, however.
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Our dentists need you to commit to taking good care of your smile even if what you have are no longer natural teeth. Food particles can still get stuck and will need to be removed so plaque (and later tartar) doesn’t build up. If it does and isn’t rectified, you could put your gums and restoration at risk.
Why All-On-X Dental Implants Are a Good Choice
As previously mentioned, All-on-X implants replace an entire arch of teeth, which is perfect for patients who have experienced significant tooth loss. If you’re getting frustrated with all that regular dentures require in terms of care, this restoration will give you the stability and confidence you desire.
Read More → What to Consider Before Pursuing Dental Implants
In general, the replacement teeth are held in place by 4-6 dental implants. Our dentists will insert these implants into the jawbone and leave them to heal over the course of several months during a process called osseointegration.
Since standard dentures sit on top of your gums, they don’t prevent jawbone loss. This means that patients who wear full dentures are at an increased risk of jawbone deterioration and eventual facial collapse. This can give the patient a sunken appearance and make it difficult or uncomfortable for them to continue wearing dentures.
The good news is that the whole All-on-X dental implant solution exerts constant and even pressure on the jaw. That way, the body knows that the bone tissue is still being used and won’t steal the minerals to use somewhere else.
Make an Appointment
Making the decision to not only improve the health of your smile but its appearance as well is big. Before moving forward, however, our dental implant dentists in Jackson, MI, will have to assess whether the All-on-X option will suit your individual needs. Call The Dental Experience today at (517) 787-5367 to request an appointment and get started.
This blog post has been updated.