Can I get dental implants if I have periodontal disease?
Periodontal disease, most commonly known as gum disease, affects thousands of patients every year and results in many losing some or all of their teeth. Fortunately, there’s a solution for those committed to better oral health: full-arch dental implants. With these dental implants, patients experience the full range of use provided with a complete set of working teeth.
What is periodontal disease?
Also known as periodontitis or gum disease, periodontal disease is a serious gum infection that damages the gums, jawbone and teeth. While periodontitis is fairly common and easily preventable, untreated cases increase a person’s risk factor for heart and lung disease considerably while also resulting in tooth and bone loss.
Periodontitis begins due to poor tooth brushing and flossing habits, which allows plaque to accumulate on the teeth and harden. The more plaque builds up, the more your gum tissue and teeth are exposed to destructive bacteria. Depending on the severity of your periodontitis, there are a variety of treatment options to discuss with your dentist or periodontist to correct any damage caused by this infection.
What are the signs of periodontal disease?
Numerous symptoms and warning signs can indicate you have periodontitis, including:
● Swollen or puffy gums
● Discolored gums
● Tender gums
● Pain while chewing
● Blood present when brushing or flossing your teeth
● Receding gums pulling away from your teeth making them look longer
● Loose teeth
● Gaps developing between your teeth
● Pus between your teeth and gums
● Chronic bad breath
The best way to prevent periodontal disease is by regularly brushing your teeth and flossing, along with bi-annual visits to your dentist for cleanings. If you’re seeing any of these warning signs, speak with your dentist or a periodontist as soon as possible to stop further damage to your teeth, gums and jawbone.
Can I get full-arch dental implants if I have periodontal disease?
Full-arch dental implants are an excellent solution for those suffering from periodontitis. These implants allow patients to enjoy the many benefits of a full and healthy smile, regardless of the number of missing teeth. One of the many reasons patients opt for full-arch dental implants is due to the fact it is a permanent solution to concerns such as periodontitis. Additionally, once your implant is affixed to your mouth, you can enjoy decades of durable, stain-resistant teeth to help you bite, chew and talk without any pain, shifting or slipping.
Treatment of periodontal disease
Before beginning the process of crafting a custom-made full-arch dental implant, the patient must first work with a dentist to treat the periodontal disease. Depending on the extent of your periodontal disease, both non-surgical and surgical treatment options are available. This could include removing existing teeth to stop further bone loss. But don’t worry, with a full-arch dental implant, you’ll get all of those teeth back in better condition than before.
Non-surgical treatments for periodontal disease include scaling, root planing and antibiotics. For more severe causes, flap or pocket reduction surgery, soft tissue grafts, bone grafts, guided tissue regeneration and tissue-stimulating proteins may be used to treat the infection and repair the damage it caused. Once you’ve completed these procedures with your periodontist, you may be a good candidate for a full-arch dental implant.
Who is a candidate?
A good candidate for full-arch dental implants is someone who is actively working with a dentist to treat the periodontal disease, but still losing ground. The patient is also committed to long-term oral health care and seeking a permanent solution to the tooth loss caused by the infection. If you’re someone who loves to smile and laugh but you feel uncomfortable doing so now because of the condition of your teeth or gums, speak with a dental implant expert, such as an Esteem doctor, today.
As the process for fitting and placing a dental implant takes months and requires a thorough, ongoing oral health regimen, a good candidate for a full-arch dental implant is a person who never wants to experience the discomfort and tooth loss of periodontitis ever again.
It’s crucial to continue treatment and care with your dentist while working with us to customize your full-arch dental implant. Even if your dentist noted significant bone loss due to periodontal disease, we can still fit you with a dental implant by completing bone grafting work on the affected areas.
Esteem Dental Implants can help
The transformative results offered by Esteem Dental Implants are unparalleled. Our permanent implants may be the right solution for those with periodontal disease seeking a healthy solution to this dental problem. Find an Esteem doctor near you and schedule a consultation today.