It’s best for your oral health to have missing teeth replaced as soon as possible. After tooth loss, changes take place in your jaw and gums that can lead to gum recession, bone 
loss, and loss of other teeth. Dental implants are the only tooth replacement that addresses these dental issues and leaves you with a complete, confident smile.
Most people who have missing teeth are good candidates for dental implants. The general rule is that if you’re healthy enough for oral surgery, you can get an implant.
Reasons Why Dental Implants Are Not Right For You
There are a couple of situations where Dr. Lusk might advise against implants or would need to complete other procedures ahead of implant placement.
- You are a smoker – Smoking lowers the success rate of implant surgery and proper healing, so Dr. Lusk will talk to you about quitting, at least temporarily while your implant heals.
- You have bone loss in your jaw – Implants need to be placed in dense bone to be successful long-term, so you may require a bone grafting procedure before placement.
- You have ongoing medical conditions – Some chronic diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure affect healing, so we may need to take extra precautions before implant placement.
At Lusk Family Dentistry, we have helped many patients looking for dental implants in Farmington, NM. The first step is to call us for a consultation so we can evaluate your needs and help you decide if implants are right for you.