Every Pasadena resident deserves to have a beautiful smile. If you’re missing teeth, dental implants can help restore your smile to its former glory. Getting dental implants is considered an oral surgery, though. Which begs the question, “Can I get dental implants if I have existing medical conditions?”
For the most part, if you are healthy enough to have regular dental treatment, then you are healthy enough to come to our Pasadena office to get dental implants. But, depending on the medical condition you have, certain precautions may need to be made.
Getting Dental Implants When You Have Hypertension
If you have hypertension, or high blood pressure, then certain considerations need to be made when placing your dental implants. This is because if you have high blood pressure, your body has to work harder to circulate blood. This process can become even more complicated by anxiety – something that is commonly experienced when having to undergo dental implant surgery or any oral surgery. Because of this, if you have high blood pressure, the doctors at Lytle, Tate & Stamper will provide you with the most appropriate level of sedation dentistry that you are comfortable with and that will not negatively interact with any blood pressure medications you may be taking, to reduce any surgery-related anxiety.
Getting Dental Implants When You Have Diabetes
If you have diabetes, then you likely already know that it takes your body longer to heal than the average, non-diabetic. So, does your delayed healing process exclude you from getting dental implants? Thankfully, the answer is no. Especially if your diabetes is under control by diet, exercise, medication or insulin, there’s no reason for you to expect that you will have complications when getting dental implants.
Getting Dental Implants When You Have Jawbone Tissue Loss
Many people who are missing teeth have lost them as a result of gum disease, or periodontitis. One of the common side effects of periodontitis is jawbone tissue loss, but in order to get dental implants, you need to have sufficient jawbone tissue so the titanium screw will fuse with your jawbone. So what are you to do if you’ve lost jawbone tissue to gum disease? Thankfully, an additional oral surgery called a jawbone graft can help regrow jawbone tissue in your mouth, making it possible for you to get dental implants. While a jawbone graft may delay your dental implants surgery for 6 months to a year, it is still entirely possible for you to repair your smile with dental implants.
Getting Dental Implants When You Have Low Sinuses
If, when the doctors at our Pasadena office evaluate you, it’s determined that you have low sinuses, you may require a sinus lift surgery before you have implants placed in your upper jaw. This is to prevent the titanium screw portion of dental implants from interfering with your sinuses. While you’ll need to heal from your sinus lift surgery before you can have your dental implants placed, you will still be eligible for this permanent tooth replacement solution.
Learning More About Dental Implants
If you have additional questions about getting dental implants, including how other medical conditions might affect your eligibility for this tooth replacement solution, we encourage you to schedule an appointment at our Pasadena office to discuss your options. You can make an appointment today by calling (818) 240-1805.
