Am I suitable for dental implants?
Quick answer
Who is suitable for dental implants?
Most healthy adults with a missing tooth can have an implant, and there is no upper age limit.
What matters is healthy gums, enough jawbone (or the option to graft it), and general health that allows healing. Smoking, poorly controlled diabetes and untreated gum disease increase the risk of failure. York House Dental Practice in West Byfleet assesses suitability with an examination and CBCT scan before recommending treatment.
What you need to know
Implants are not placed in children or teenagers whose jaws are still growing. Many patients in their 70s and 80s have implants successfully — being fit enough for a minor procedure matters more than age.
Smokers can have implants, but the failure rate is higher, and we will strongly encourage stopping or cutting down. Gum disease must be treated and stable first, because the same bacteria can attack the bone around an implant.
If a tooth has been missing for years, bone may have shrunk; grafting can often rebuild it. Certain medications, particularly some bone-strengthening drugs, need discussing at consultation. Start with dental implants, or compare implant vs bridge.
Last reviewed: by Dr Kaveet Patel, Principal Dentist
