Is 70 Too Old For Dental Implants?

For dental implants in New Haven, CT, Dr. Francesco Maratta can help you to decide if dental implants are a good fit for you. 

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants?

Dental implants are a great option to replace missing or extracted teeth but, they aren't for everyone. A good candidate would have the following:

• Enough bone to support an implant
• Not be a smoker
• Have healthy gums
• Not have uncontrolled diabetes
• Not have leukemia or other cancers that affect the ability to heal
• Committed to good oral health

Age plays no role in whether you are a good candidate for a dental implant or not. If you and your gums are healthy, you should have as good an outcome as someone 20, 40, or 60 years old. 

The Process of Getting  Dental Implants in New Haven, CT

If you have not had your problem tooth extracted, the first order of business is to get the extraction. At that time, if you need to have a bone graft, it can be done on the same visit. This requires healing, and it will be several months until the implant can be placed in your jaw. 

Once the healing is completed, the implant, which is a titanium screw, will be placed into the jaw bone. Your gums are numbed during the process. Again, healing is required. You may have to revisit the dentist several times to make sure everything is progressing correctly. When healing is complete, it is time for the next step, the crown. 

An impression will be made of your mouth to make sure that the tooth is the perfect size to fit into the open space in your mouth. The crown will then be created. The color of the crown will be matched to the color of your natural teeth. 

Once the crown has been created, you will come back to the dentist's office to have it installed. The crown is placed on a post that attaches to the implant and will become a permanent fixture in your mouth. It will look like a natural tooth and function like one as well.  

If you are 70 years old or older and interested in dental implants in New Haven, CT, call the office of Dr. Maratta for a consultation at 203-773-1701.