Have you been wanting to replace your lost teeth? If so, chances are you’ve heard about how lifelike and reliable dental implants are. You’ve probably also heard that you need to undergo oral surgery to get them. If you’re currently going through menopause, or if you have already, you might be wondering whether you’ll still be a good dental implant candidate. Read on to learn how it’s possible to still get dental implants even after menopause.
How Menopause Affects Dental Implant Candidacy
Hot flashes are far from the only sign of menopause. The hormonal changes that occur can lead to symptoms in all areas of the body, including the mouth. For one, postmenopausal people are more susceptible to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones. The jawbone already starts to shrink after teeth have been lost, but osteoporosis causes even more severe damage. With this condition, your jawbone might be unable to support the implant posts.
Menopause can also contribute to dry mouth. In addition to being uncomfortable, dry mouth can negatively impact your oral health and in turn your eligibility for dental implants. When the mouth doesn’t produce enough saliva to wash away lingering food debris and bacteria, plaque has an easier time building up on your gums and teeth. As a result, your risk of gum disease increases. Since gum disease could cause dental implant failure, you’ll naturally want to prevent it to the best of your ability.
Postmenopausal Treatments & Oral Health
Since there’s nothing unhealthy about the natural life event that is menopause, doctors won’t treat it directly. Instead, they tend to recommend treatments that will help you deal with the bodily changes caused by menopause.
One of the most common treatments for hot flashes is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). When your estrogen levels are restored, many of the unpleasant side effects of menopause are reduced. Studies have found that HRT can prevent bone loss in postmenopausal patients without increasing the risk of dental implant failure. In fact, research has shown that the risk of severe gum disease declines with HRT after menopause.
As with any medical treatment, your doctor will discuss the potential risks and side effects of any postmenopausal drugs before prescribing them. Your dentist can then let you know whether your medications are affecting your candidacy for dental implants.
Menopause Doesn’t Have to Keep You from Completing Your Smile!
Just because you’ve been through menopause doesn’t necessarily mean you can never get dental implants. You may simply need to take extra good care of your oral health. If you have any questions, be sure to talk to your dentist or primary care provider. They’ll be more than happy to let you know what you need to do to enjoy a full, healthy smile!
About the Author
Dr. Med Dawoud is proud to offer comprehensive dental implant care under one roof at D & G Dental of West Orange. As a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, he has completed extensive training in dental implant treatment, so you can rest assured that your new smile will be in the most capable of hands. He’d be glad to help you complete your smile with dental implants and guide you on what you need to do if you’re postmenopausal. To get started, you can contact Dr. Dawoud at (973) 731-2200.