Dental Implants: Are You Actually a Candidate?
Implants have a success rate above 95% — but only in suitable candidates. Here is the honest checklist we assess before recommending one.
Dental implants are the closest thing modern dentistry offers to a natural replacement tooth. But they are a surgical procedure with real prerequisites, and not everyone qualifies on day one.
Bone volume
An implant needs bone to integrate with. Bone begins to resorb the moment a tooth is lost, so the longer the gap has been empty, the more likely a graft is needed first. A CBCT scan measures this precisely.
Gum health
Active gum disease must be treated before placement. Placing an implant into an infected environment is the single most common cause of early failure.
Smoking
Smoking meaningfully reduces success rates by restricting blood supply during healing. We ask for a pause of at least two weeks before and eight weeks after surgery.
Diabetes and other systemic conditions
Well-controlled diabetes is not a barrier. Poorly controlled diabetes is, because it slows healing. We work with your physician on the numbers before scheduling.
Age
There is no upper limit — we place implants in patients in their eighties. There is a lower limit: jaw growth must be complete, usually around eighteen.
What happens if you are not a candidate today
Most patients who fail the checklist can be made suitable — with grafting, gum treatment or better glycaemic control. It shifts the timeline, not the outcome. A bridge remains a good alternative where an implant is not viable.
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