Determining When Dental Implants Are Necessary
November 12, 2024 
Dentists would love nothing more than the sight of a full set of healthy teeth. Unfortunately, most of the time, they see teeth riddled with problems, including a couple of missing teeth. Thanks to modern solutions like dental implants, they can enjoy such a sight, even among adults who can no longer regrow their natural teeth.
Yet, not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. For one, the cost of biocompatible alloy roots holding a crown runs in the thousands per implant. Implant-supported bridges and dentures may be more cost-effective, but not everyone is deprived of a considerable section of or all their teeth.
It begs the question: “When are dental implants from New Albany necessary?” After all, it’s in both the qualified dentist’s and patient’s best interests to ensure the implants work and last for as long as possible. Let’s find out here in this post.
Good Oral Health
No dental implant is immune to failure. Sometimes, factors beyond the dentist or patient’s control, such as genetics, dental implant placement, and the body’s reaction to the root, can cause the implant to fail in the first few years. But as we discussed in a previous post, factors that you have control over—namely poor oral hygiene—can boost the failure rate considerably.
As such, good oral health is a non-negotiable starting point. Dental implants depend on sufficient bone to effectively replace teeth lost due to physical trauma or dental disease.
| Region | Bone Height | Implant Length | Prior Treatment |
| Posterior Maxilla (Upper Jaw) | 6-8 mm | Short | None |
| >8 mm | Standard | Trans-crestal sinus elevation | |
| Posterior Mandible (Lower Jaw) | <8 mm | Standard | Bone grafting or augmentation |
| 8-10 mm | Short | None | |
| >10 mm | Standard | None |
*Short implants: 8 mm or less. Standard implants: over 8 mm.
The quality of the bone also matters. An implant dentist often uses the Lekholm & Zarb bone classification to judge the viability of placing a dental implant and the time required for it to integrate with the bone.
| Classification | Description | Osseointegration Period |
| Type I | Made almost entirely of cortical bone, this bone has too few blood vessels for quickly calcifying the bone around the implant | ~5 months |
| Type II | Not as hard as Type I, but it has a reasonable density of trabecular or spongy bone that can help keep dental implants steady | ~4 months |
| Type III | Features higher spongy bone density surrounded by a thin layer of cortical bone; requires gradually loading more bone in this area | ~6 months |
| Type IV | Least dense and weakest of the types due to the spongy bone’s loose consistency; prep work such as bone grafting often required | ~8 months |
Yet, no matter the type, precious bone can still be lost with enough plaque buildup, which leads to periodontitis or gum disease. It also doesn’t help that the body’s immune system’s response to an ongoing infection also leads to vital bone being collateral damage.
Patients should keep a regular dental check-up schedule to keep an eye on their implants and avoid problems such as gum disease. Proper dental care and hygiene are essential to the long-term success of your dental implants.
Age
While you can never be too old to get dental implant treatment, you can be too young to get them. A person’s skeletal system still undergoes development after birth, so anyone who hasn’t reached their mid-20s isn’t typically eligible for dental implants. Some successful cases have involved patients under 20, but it depends on the body.
Keep in mind that skeletal development in this context refers to maturity, not mass growth. While loosely linked to chronological age, skeletal or bone maturation relates to changes in the tissues from their embryonic origin to their more permanent form. One telltale sign of maturity is when you start growing permanent teeth in place of milk teeth.
But even when permanent teeth start to erupt, dentists advise patients to wait until their mid-20s to get dental implants. Placing the implants while the jawbone is still developing risks throwing their alignment off, displacing them, or even failing to integrate.
No Health Problems
Apart from oral diseases, eligibility for dental implants requires that you don’t have other health problems that can affect bone recovery. Physical bone loss is inevitable during a dental implant procedure, but it’s critical that your body has the means to restore bone around the implant to integrate properly.
While some conditions aren’t immediately disqualifying, a dental practitioner is obligated to inform patients about an increased risk of implant failure. These include but aren’t limited to:
| Systemic Condition | Examples | Description |
| Bleeding disorders | Von Willebrand’s disease Hemophilia A Hemophilia B | While little to no evidence of its effects on dental implant success exists, the risk of hemorrhage during implant surgery may increase |
| Autoimmune diseases | Sjogren’s syndrome Rheumatoid arthritis Lupus | A malfunctioning immune system can prevent bone recovery and, by extension, successful integration of the implant with the bone |
| Head and neck cancers | Lip and oral cavity cancer Salivary gland cancer Squamous neck cancer | While not the direct cause of dental implant failure, cancer treatments like radiotherapy can negatively impact bone recovery. |
| Mental health conditions | Anxiety Depression | If taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for treatment, the medication is known to inhibit the process of bone metabolism. |
Whether your condition is listed above or not, it’s a good idea to disclose it to your implant dentist. Depending on the information, they may advise specific changes to your treatment routine to help with bone recovery.
Conclusion
Dental implants are designed to restore full smiles long after you’ve stopped growing teeth, but it isn’t an option for everyone. They must be at least in their mid-20s and maintain good overall health to ensure a high success rate.
