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Meeting With A Dentist To Discuss Dental Implants? Why Disclosing Your Full Medical History Is Important

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If you have a tooth that is missing or you are going to have a tooth extracted, you may be considering having a dental implant placed. There are many benefits to using dental implants instead of a bridge or single tooth denture. Prior to having an implant placed, you will have a consultation with a dentist to determine if you are a candidate for this procedure. During the consultation, a dentist will ask you about your medical history, including any medications you are currently taking and any medical conditions you may suffer from. It is extremely important that you are truthful and disclose all of this information. Here is a bit more information about why you need to let the dentist know about your medications and medical history when having dental implants placed.

Medical History

When you meet with a dentist to discuss a dental implant, you may wonder why you need to discuss your medical history. After all, it is hard to see how certain conditions can be connected to your teeth. However, certain medical conditions can affect your dental implants. These conditions include cancer and diabetes. Many of the conditions affect the rate at which you heal following surgery to place the pin that is used to anchor the implant in place. Those with these medical conditions may have a higher rate of implant failure than those without these conditions.

The other reason why disclosing your full medical history is important is because some medical conditions can affect your inability to receive sedation. If you have had a stroke or myocardial infractions in the past, special precautions need to be taken when sedating you.

Medications

Certain medications affect the healing rate of your dental implants. As such, it is important to make a list of every medication, prescription or not, that you are currently taking, as well as the dosage information, and bring it with you to your consultation. For example, those who are taking heartburn medications or other medications that affect calcium absorption rates, have longer recovery times or are at greater risk for the implant to fail. Medications that thin the blood, such as blood thinners and aspirin may also need to be discontinued before surgery takes place. A dentist can tell you which medications may affect the surgery or which may need to be stopped before the procedure takes place.

When you are meeting with a dentist to have a consultation for dental implants, be prepared to discuss your medical history. While you may not think that your medical history or the medications you are taking will impact your teeth, they can have a direct impact rate on your healing time and whether your implant will be successful. When a dentist knows your entire history, they can better explain to you what your risks are, what challenges you may face with the implant, and whether this is the right dental option for your missing tooth.


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