St. Paul Dentist Describes Dental Implant Exam
All dental procedures must start with a thorough examination by your dental professional. In the case of dental implants, we look for a specific set of indicators to decide if you are a good candidate for dental implants.
Visual Exam
One of the first areas we look at during the dental implant exam is the condition of the bone where the dental implant will be placed. Our Highland Park, MN Implant Dentist will perform a visual exam of the jawbone to determine if the area in which the dental implant is to be placed has sufficient strength and density to accommodate the implant.
Dental X-Rays
After we visually examine and measure the jawbone, we will take x-raysHighland Park St. Paul Dental Care will be happy to answer any other questions you may have or to describe the process in more detail.
Evaluation of Bone
We must evaluate the quality of the jawbone by evaluating the shape of the bone (both width and height). We do this in order to determine if there is adequate mass of bone and that this bone is of sufficient density to create a strong root structure with the dental implant fixture.
It’s possible that we will find that the bone in the region of the planned dental implant is not adequate. This deficiency can result from bone resorption (bone loss) that takes place in areas of the jaw bone where teeth have been extracted. This condition occurs most often where multiple teeth were extracted many years previously.
Other Considerations
As your implant dentist proceeds through the exam, he or she will search for other potential complications, such as the location of sinuses, nerves, blood vessels and the roots of adjacent teeth. The dentist must also evaluate gum tissue in the area to ensure that it is healthy and free of disease such as periodontitis.
Highland Park St. Paul Dental Care will be happy to answer any other questions you may have or to describe the process in more detail.