Dental implants are a great way to restore any gaps in your smile you may have from missing teeth. While dental implants work for many different patients with many different situations, there are some contraindications. If you have osteoporosis, it can make your bones weak and brittle. For dental implants to be successful, they need to integrate with a relatively strong jawbone. Read on to learn more about dental implants and whether you can get them if you have osteoporosis.
1. How Can Dentists Improve Surgical Outcomes?
If you have weakened jawbone from osteoporosis, the good news is that there are still many steps your dentist can take to make sure you are a good candidate. For example, your dentist may take a T scan to examine your bone density to find the most ideal placement of the implant. He or she may recommend a bone graft before implant surgery. A bone graft can strengthen any weak, brittle jawbone and help with implant stability.
Another way your dentist can improve surgical outcomes is by using mini dental implants. Mini dental implants work the same way as traditional implants, but they are smaller and so they don't need to be embedded as deeply into the jawbone. Mini implants work well with people who have had jaw resorption—like those who wear dentures—and they can work well for some people with osteoporosis.
Lastly, if you still have a tooth that needs replacement, your dentist may recommend an immediate implant surgery after the extraction. Immediate implant placement will prevent the bone from resorbing and may improve your surgical success rate.
2. Why are Bisphosphonates an Issue?
Besides dealing with brittle, weak bone structures, patients with osteoporosis will have to address how their medications can affect healing times. Some osteoporosis patients take drugs, like bisphosphonates, which help to slow the progression of bone loss. While bisphosphonates work well for osteoporosis, they can hinder circulation and slow down recovery times, thus causing osteonecrosis. If possible—and with your doctor's go-ahead—you may want to switch medications during your dental implant surgery to improve your recovery times. One study found that even switching from IV-administered bisphosphonates to oral bisphosphonates could improve surgical outcomes.
Ultimately, your dentist will help you weigh all the pros and cons to see if you are a good candidate for dental implants or not. Reach out to a dentist in your area to learn more.
Share4 March 2021
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.