Dental Implants And Osteoporosis – Can They Really Work Together?
You might be forgiven for thinking that osteoporosis and dental implants aren’t exactly a perfect match. After all, whether you opt for a dental implant in Richmond, or indeed anywhere else in the country, the surgeon performing the treatment will require both healthy and plentiful bone in order to give the newly placed implant the best chance of success. Osteoporosis on the other hand is a disease that decreases the density of bone causing it to become both weak and brittle.
So can those with osteoporosis really undergo treatment for dental implants?
The good thing about dental implants is that there is no blanket rule and as a result, every case should be assessed individually. For instance if osteoporosis has caused a decrease in bone mass in certain parts of the body, there’s no guarantee it’s caused (or is going to cause) the degeneration of bone or bone tissue in the jaw area. Recent research done on the subject shows a lowered rate of success amongst osteoporosis sufferers and therefore an increased risk; however the risks of a failed implant have been documented at only 2% higher than normal.
This being the case what happens first?
Here at Sheen Dental any osteoporosis sufferer looking to have dental implants in Richmond will be evaluated. They may need to be referred to a specialist doctor first who can show the patient ways to bring the disease under some sort of control. This includes taking medications, monitoring their diet and upping their exercise regime.
After this the patient might be referred back to us where we’ll carry out a thorough evaluation including oral health, overall health and the extent of osteoporosis. During this evaluation we’ll be looking out for several important factors.
Oral health
With a patient already compromised with osteoporosis, it’s vitally important that they have a healthy mouth and this means no periodontal problems.
Volume, strength and density of bone tissue
In order for the implant to take, there needs to be some good and healthy bone for it to be anchored into. As the bone healing process is likely to be prolonged, bone quality is key. If this isn’t the case and the bone quality is poor or insufficient then a sufferer still might be eligible for a bone graft, so all is not lost.
For many of our patients dental implants in Richmond have been a real saviour and one that can gives them a far greater quality of life. Therefore when a potential candidate is told that they can’t have it, the effect can be devastating. We advise anyone considering the treatment to come and speak to us on 020 8876 5277 for as full evaluation. Alternatively if you want to find out more about implants then visit our site at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk where you can find a wealth of information to help.