With improvements in methodology and device manufacturing, dental implants now have a success rate of 98 percent. Implants placed by practitioners of dental services in Butler PA can last a lifetime if the patient follows instructions for proper care of the devices. Dental practitioners encourage patients to choose implants instead of other types of artificial teeth if they are good candidates for success and can afford the procedure.
Dental and Medical Insurance and Implants
It’s a bit of a controversy in the world of dentistry that so many dental insurance policies do not cover implants or only cover a percentage of the full cost. Practitioners of dental services in Butler PA know that the implants are medically favorable for patients as compared with bridges and dentures. Implants maintain the strength and density of the jawbone because the rods stimulate new bone growth as the person chews.
Dentists and a large number of U.S. residents often wonder why dental care, including implants, is not included with health insurance since oral health is an integral part of all-around physical well-being. Standard Medicare does not even include dental coverage; senior citizens must obtain the coverage through a supplemental insurance policy or Advantage Plan. When someone must have all the rest of the upper or lower teeth extracted, implants provide a substantially better solution than dentures do.
Being a Good Candidate for Implants
Being a good candidate for implants depends a great deal on two factors: the jawbone density of the patient and tobacco usage. Older patients, especially women, sometimes have reduced bone density due to osteoporosis. Bone grafting typically can build up the density so the patient can later have implants placed. Dentists generally will not place implants for patients who use tobacco, since this is the main factor associated with unsuccessful bonding with the jawbone.
Someone who needs to have several teeth extracted and is interested in implants may want to schedule a consultation appointment with a clinic such as Quad County Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. The extensive dental work involved makes having an oral surgeon doing the procedures advantageous. Contact us to get started.
