Some sophistocated tools are used to decide if dental implants can be used. Computerized tomograms are somewhat like 3-D x-rays providing us with information on the shape and quality of the jaw bone and location of anatomical limits.
Computer programs allow cut and paste features where dental implants can be placed into the computerized tomogram images offering improved information.
Several other issues must be considered prior to dental implants:
Health Concerns
Dental implants require surgical intervention and, of course, healing. Many precautions can be taken to overcome health issues today. If you have health issues that affect your ability to have dental surgical visits or your ability to heal, you need to discuss these issues with your periodontist. Sometimes your physician will need to be consulted and/or testing may be required to determine if you may have dental implants.
Anatomical Concerns
Imagine you are hanging a heavy picture on the wall. You first look for the stud inside the wall and put the nail into the strong stud to carry the heavy picture. Some jaws have anatomical limits that don't allow placement of dental implants. We now have bone grafting techniques and sinus lifting techniques that allow us to change the anatomy of a patient's jaw paving the way for many patients to receive dental implants. There are several radiographic methods used today to evaluate your unique situation.
Restorative Concerns
There must be enough room to construct a crown on top of the dental implant root and the forces and angles involved may limit the ability of the dental team to recreate a usable bite. This is why so much time is spent on planning, studying radiographs and mouth models. You need to be patient during the planning stage while the restorative dentist and the periodontist consider the positioning of dental implants and the resultant bite.
