Missing teeth can make anyone feel self-conscious. You might hesitate to smile for photos or cover your mouth when laughing with friends. Beyond aesthetics, gaps in your smile can make eating difficult and lead to bone loss in your jaw. If you are looking for a permanent solution, dental implants are often the gold standard. But how do you know if you are the right candidate?
At Harris Dental, serving Phoenix and Gilbert, AZ, we help patients restore their smiles every day. Led by Dr. Brian Harris and Dr. Scott Harris—two of the Phoenix area’s top dentists—our team specializes in creating natural-looking, durable results. This checklist will help you understand what makes a prime candidate for dental implants and how our comprehensive approach sets us apart.
The Prime Candidate Checklist
A prime candidate for dental implants is someone with good oral health, sufficient jawbone density, healthy gums, and a commitment to maintaining excellent dental hygiene
Dental implants are a fantastic long-term investment, but they require a solid foundation. Before moving forward, we evaluate three major factors to ensure success.
1. Good General and Oral Health
Your body needs to be healthy enough to undergo a minor surgical procedure and heal properly afterward. Issues like uncontrolled diabetes or active gum disease (periodontal disease) can interfere with healing and the implant’s ability to fuse with the bone. If you are a smoker, we will discuss how smoking affects healing, as it can significantly lower the success rate of implants.
2. Sufficient Jawbone Density
The implant is a titanium post that acts as a tooth root. It needs strong bone to anchor into. When you lose a tooth, the jawbone in that area often begins to deteriorate. If you have experienced bone loss, don’t worry—you may still be a candidate. We often perform bone grafting procedures to build up the site before placing the implant.
3. Commitment to Oral Hygiene
Implants can’t get cavities, but they can still fail if the gum tissue around them becomes infected. A prime candidate is someone committed to brushing, flossing, and attending regular checkups at our Phoenix or Gilbert offices to keep that investment safe.
The Harris Dental Difference: Comprehensive Care
Many dental offices only handle one part of the process. They might restore the tooth (put the crown on) but send you to a specialist across town for the surgery.
At Harris Dental, we do things differently. Unlike other implant dentists, we can both place and restore tooth implants right here at our practice. This means you stay with the team you trust from start to finish. Dr. Brian Harris and Dr. Scott Harris oversee the entire journey, ensuring consistent quality and convenience for you.
Our Dental Implants Treatment Process in Phoenix
We believe in keeping you informed every step of the way. Here is what you can expect during your implant journey with us:
- Consultation & Planning: We start with advanced 3D imaging to map your jawbone and plan the precise placement of the implant.
- Implant Placement: During a comfortable procedure, the titanium post is placed into the jawbone.
- Healing (Osseointegration): Over the next few months, the implant fuses with your natural bone, creating a rock-solid anchor.
- Restoration: Once healed, we attach a custom-crafted crown, bridge, or denture that looks and functions just like your natural teeth.
If you are ready to reclaim your smile, we are here to help. Contact Harris Dental today to schedule your consultation.
CONTACT HARRIS DENTAL:
LOCATION (TAP TO OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS):
4444 N 32 St Ste 208 Phoenix, Arizona 85018
