Dental implants provided permanent solutions for patients’ tooth loss for over 50 years with a success rate of over 98%.

To be a good candidate to receive dental implants in Kelowna, you need to be in good enough general health to undergo and recover from implant surgery and the related dental procedures. Your jaw must also have sufficient bone mass and density to support the implant itself so as to provide secure support for your implants and whatever restoration will rely on them. Smokers (who will not refrain from smoking before and after implant procedures) and people with some chronic medical conditions that affect their healing processes may be poor candidates for implants without further investigations or measures to ensure success.

If you have less than ideal bone mass or density, a dentist near you will assess whether you’re a good candidate for bone grafting to supplement the mass of your jaw bone before going ahead with the implant procedure. Bone grafting involves taking bone from elsewhere in your body (or artificial bone or bone from a donor) and attaching it to your jaw.

If you suffer from periodontal (gum) disease, you may have to undergo non-surgical or surgical treatment to address that gum disease before undergoing implant surgery to minimize the risk of developing an infection that could jeopardize your implant or prevent the osseointegration process that bonds your implant to your jaw bone.

Potential complications

Before you receive dental implants near you, your dentist will carefully review your medical and dental history and take detailed dental images of your mouth, gums and jaw before developing a treatment plan for the precise placement of biocompatible titanium dental implants. Precise and carefully planned implant procedures are routinely completed without complications but, like any medical procedure, there are possible risks. Here are the risks to be aware of and that your dentist and their staff will take into account in developing your treatment plan, completing the implant procedures and supervising your recovery.

The most common complication that arises with invasive medical or dental procedures is infection. Your dentist in Kelowna and their staff have expertise in infection-control measures and will give you detailed instructions about how to ensure your quick and complete recovery without developing an infection while supporting you with antibiotic medication.

Because the interior of every tooth contains nerves, implant surgery does present some risk of potential nerve damage depending on the location of the nerves and the intended placement of your implant. The taking of detailed dental images and precisely measuring the location of all procedures will minimize the risk of nerve damage.

Some chronic pre-existing medical conditions — cancer, diabetes and diseases affecting your bones, for example — can delay, prolong or interfere with your healing process. Your dentist will take a detailed medical history to identify any pre-existing conditions that could complicate your procedure to ensure the development of a treatment plan to address those risks or to determine alternatives to implants.

Your dentist will discuss with you the risk of corrosion if exposed to highly acidic contents in your mouth and if they interact with other metals in your mouth, such as metals used in prior fillings.

You have an important responsibility in preparing for dental and medical procedures, including getting dental implants from a dentist near you. Be sure to talk to your dentist about your complete medical history, current symptoms and prescriptions, lifestyle habits and other factors that may affect your health and recovery. By doing so, you can help ensure that an already safe procedure is completed comfortably and efficiently to help you meet your goals.