Do you live in Norwich and are considering dental implants? If the answer is yes here are some things both you and your dentist should assess that could affect the outcome.
You should consider your health as the dentist may need to provide antibiotic cover for some conditions during surgery. Make sure that your dentist is fully informed about any previous health conditions that may affect the outcome such as poorly controlled diabetes or high blood pressure.
- Any prescription or over-the-counter pharmaceuticals that may influence treatment.
- The ability and willingness of the patient to pay for treatment.
- The motivation and ability to persevere with some fairly arduous treatment and to attend several dental appointments over a period of months.
- The willingness to maintain and care for the implant prosthesis once they are in place.
- A successful outcome depends upon the status of the rest of the mouth, for example a sixteen year old who has lost a tooth in an accident, but has an otherwise healthy mouth should be assured of a good result if given the correct dental advice. However, a middle-aged or elderly patient with health problems who smoke and has a casual attitude about oral hygiene and has moderately advanced gum disease might be far less guaranteed a successful outcome.
- Current or chronic stress can affect the ability to heal.
- Dental anxieties or phobias might also affect treatment.
- Heavy drinking, smoking or taking recreational drugs may affect the outcome.
- Nutritional status influences the ability of the bone to heal.
- If a tooth was lost after chronic periodontal disease or required a surgical extraction then the amount of bone present may be compromised. This also depends upon how long ago the tooth being replaced was removed since the bone rapidly atrophies when it no longer has to work to support the teeth. In some cases it can become blade-like underneath the gum.
- Bone quality in the upper jaw tends to be less dense so the lower jaw and the depth of bone available may also be seriously compromised by the presence of the maxillary sinuses and the floor of the nose.
