Can You Get Dental Implants With Gum Disease?

Dental implants have an astounding success rate. Part of the reason has to do with the thorough vetting process. Dr. Katie Montgomery will analyze every aspect of your oral health (and some aspects of your general health too) to ensure you are a good candidate for dental implants. 

Having healthy gums is one of the main requirements for getting implants. Here's why. 

Why Dental Implants Require Healthy Gums 

Dental implants consist of a metal post that is surgically inserted into the jawbone beneath the gums. Once in place, they allow your Marysville dentist to restore the tooth by placing a crown on top. But, for this process to be successful, you need healthy gums that can provide stability for the replacement teeth. If you have gum disease and the gum tissue is compromised, that can interfere with the healing process and lead to implant failure and other complications. 

But, there's more to it. 

If your gums are inflamed or infected, it can affect the osseointegration process. This is a process during which the metal post fuses with the jaw bone to act as the root of the new tooth. 

Advanced gum disease can also lead to jaw bone loss. A dental implant needs sufficient bone to hold it in place. If gum disease has caused extensive bone loss, the implant could become unstable or fail.

Gum disease can also increase the risks of peri-Implantitis, a condition similar to periodontal disease that affects the tissues surrounding an implant. Peri-implantitis can lead to bone loss and implant failure.

Are Dental Implants Out of the Question for Me? 

Not necessarily. If you have gum disease and are considering dental implants, the first step is to seek treatment for your gum disease. This often involves a combination of professional dental treatments and changes to your at-home oral care routine. 

• Professional Cleaning: If you're only dealing with gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, professional cleaning paired with good oral hygiene can help reverse it. In more severe cases, you may need a procedure called scaling and root planing where the dentist cleans the plaque and bacteria below the gumline. 

• Antibiotic Treatment: If the infection is rather severe, the dentist may give you oral antibiotics or insert antibiotic gels in the pockets between your teeth and gums to help control the infection.

• Surgical Treatments: If these treatments prove to be ineffective, your dentist may recommend a flap surgery to remove tartar deposits located deep in pockets. If you are also dealing with bone loss, a bone graft may be necessary too to help regenerate any bone or gum tissue lost because of periodontitis. 

• Improved Oral Hygiene: For all these treatments to work, you need to do your part too. That means brushing at least twice a day, flossing daily, and seeing your dentist for regular checkups. 

Find Out If Dental Implants Are Right for You! 

Dental implants are an excellent way to replace missing teeth, but they are not the only option out there. We here at Montgomery Family Dental can help you find out if implants are right for you and what other alternatives you have. 

Get in touch with us to schedule an appointment with Dr. Katie Montgomery.