I have dental insurance for the first time and just started going to the dentist. My teeth are pretty bad and some of them have started coming out. My dentist said I have advanced gum disease and will need to extract my teeth and get dentures. Is it at all possible that I could get dental implants instead?

Susan A.

Dear Susan,

You are in a tough position. At some point, dental implants will be possible, but you are going to have to get that periodontal (gum) disease under control first. That will be imperative. After that, I would make sure your dentist does adequate diagnostics. That would need to include a CT for two reasons. First, you want to make sure you have enough bone structure left to retain your dental implants. Second, dental implants are a 3D procedure and you need 3-Dimensional images in order to ensure proper placement.

If you don’t have enough bone structure, you will need to have a bone grafting procedure done first. Then, after a time of healing, it will be okay for you to go forward with your dental implants.

What you will want to get is called implant overdentures or implant supported dentures. With this, you will have between four to eight dental implants placed and then, after a period necessary for osseointegration (meaning bone integrating with the implants), have a denture anchored to them.

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