Dental Implants in Whittier: What Is the Best Age to Get Them?

Dental implants in Whittier are a fantastic way to restore one or more missing teeth. They can help restore a patient’s beautiful smile while also improving the function of their teeth and jaw joints.

But not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants.

Patients with very little jawbone left to support an implant, poor oral health, or practices that can jeopardize the success of the implant aren’t good candidates.

Several factors indicate whether a patient is a good candidate for implants or not, including their age. 

What Is the Best Age for Dental Implants in Whittier?

Just about any adult is at a good age for dental implants. If the jawbones are strong and the patient has good oral health and overall physical health, they’re at the perfect age for dental implants.

Jawbone health and maturity is the best indicator of whether someone is a good candidate for dental implants in Whittier. Implants are an excellent option for anyone around 20 years and up.

If you’re missing some teeth and fit into that age range, the question to ask yourself is: Are you ready to invest in treatment from an implant dentist in Whittier? Here are some ways to tell if you’re prepared to make the commitment:

• You’re insecure about your missing teeth
• You’re having digestion issues because you can’t chew your food well
• You have vitamin/mineral deficiencies because you can’t eat nutrient-dense foods like nuts, seeds, and crunchy fruits and vegetables
• The missing tooth/teeth cause speech issues
• Teeth adjacent to the missing tooth are starting to break down
• You’re experiencing jaw issues and are even diagnosed with TMJ disorder

Even a single missing tooth can wreak havoc on your oral health – including the adjacent teeth, the gums, the jawbones, and your jaw joints. When you’re missing a tooth, the other teeth shift to fill in the space. When this happens, it can make it more difficult to clean the teeth, increasing the risk of decay.

Teeth shifting can also put pressure on other teeth, leading to bite pressure pain, cracks in the teeth, and even broken teeth. Pressure is also placed on the structures of your head and neck, leading to painful strain and tension.

Dental implants in Whittier can make all the difference!

Why Aren’t Children and Teens Good Candidates for Dental Implants?

The bone needs to be fully developed for an implant to integrate into the jawbone successfully. People don’t reach skeletal maturity until their late teens or early twenties, which is when the jawbone stops growing.

A jawbone that isn’t fully developed can’t successfully support dental implants. 

If you’re in your early twenties, your Whittier dentist will take digital images of your jawbone and do a growth assessment to confirm that your jawbone is fully developed. We can schedule your surgery once we know that your jawbone is healthy and strong enough for implants.

Am I Too Old for Dental Implants?

Dental implants in Whittier are a safe, practical, and permanent solution for adults of any age who are missing teeth.

While it is true that you will experience some bone loss the longer a tooth is gone, there are things we can do about that! For one thing, we can perform a bone graft to augment the existing jawbone, thereby ensuring there’s enough bone to support the implant.

Another option for fully edentulous patients is the All-on-4 dental implant system. The All-on-4 system utilizes four or more implants and places them in strategic locations to optimize the thickest part of the jawbone. Patients who aren’t good candidates for traditional implants often do well with the All-on-4 system. Again, if necessary, we can augment the bone with a bone graft.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Implants in Whittier?

If you have a missing tooth or multiple missing teeth and are interested in restoring them, implants from an implant dentist in Whittier are a great option. Before we dive right into implant surgery, though, your Whittier dentist will perform an oral evaluation to ensure you’re a good candidate for implant surgery. Here are a few things they’ll assess.

Sufficient Jawbone

Patients need to have enough jawbone to support the dental implant. We want your surgery to be a success. To avoid implant failure and ensure durability, you need to have adequate bone. Without enough bone, the implant will become loose. Not only is this inconvenient, but it can also cause damage to the bone and surrounding teeth. It is also costly to repair.

Your Whittier dentist will take digital images to measure the amount of bone you have and determine if you need a bone graft before proceeding with implant surgery.

Healthy Gum Tissue

If you want to replace a missing tooth with a dental implant in Whittier, you must have healthy gums. Patients with periodontal disease are at risk of implant failure because this disease damages the gum tissue and bone surrounding the implant. Without treatment, gum disease causes soft and hard tissue recession, which puts you at risk for tooth loss and implant failure.

Patients who have gum disease aren’t automatically considered non-candidates. You can achieve healthy gums with periodontal treatment, good dental home care, and regular periodontal maintenance, and that will make you a good candidate for dental implants in Whittier.

Non-Smokers and Non-Tobacco Users

Smoking and chewing tobacco not only puts you at risk for oral cancer but can also lead to implant failure. If you’re a smoker or tobacco user, your dentist will highly recommend that you consider quitting. Doing so is an investment in your overall health and increases the success rate of dental implants.

Good Oral Health Practices

Good oral health practices are vital whether you’re missing a single tooth or all of them. Bacteria can still damage oral tissues, so it’s essential to clean your teeth, gums, and tongue daily.

Poor dental homecare increases your risk of periodontal disease, eventually leading to gum and bone recession. The more issues you have with your bones and gum tissue, the higher the risk of implant failure.

By keeping bacteria in check with regular brushing, flossing, and mouth rinsing, you keep your gums, remaining teeth, and jawbones healthy – making you an ideal candidate for dental implants in Whittier.

Would You Like More Information About Dental Implants in Whittier?

Dental implants are one of the best ways to restore a missing tooth because they look, feel, and function so much like natural teeth. Contact your implant dentist in Whittier if you’d like to learn more about the benefits of dental implants and if they’re a good option for you.

Are you interested in dental implants? Contact us to schedule a consultation to see if you’re a good candidate for dental implants in Whittier.